Patriots trade wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to Texans for safety Jaylen Reed and 2028 seventh-round pick
New England sent fourth-year receiver Kayshon Boutte to Houston in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a seventh-round selection in the 2028 draft, freeing cap space and reshaping its receiver and defensive back depth.
The New England Patriots have completed a trade that sends fourth-year wideout Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans. In return, the Patriots receive safety Jaylen Reed and a seventh-round pick in the 2028 draft. Boutte, 24, posted 87 receptions for 1,327 yards and 10 touchdowns over 38 games with New England and was a frequent deep-field target for quarterback Drake Maye. The move follows New England’s recent acquisitions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, which pushed Boutte down the depth chart, and a trade request he reportedly made earlier this spring.
"It’s an example I will use for the rest of my coaching career, the way that he has just been a pro and shown up every day," position coach Todd Downing said of Boutte earlier in the month.
The trade clears roughly $2.7 million in cap space, as Boutte’s $3.72 million salary is replaced by Reed’s $1.01 million deal with minimal guarantees. Reed, a sixth-round pick in 2023, appeared in nine games for Houston, starting three, and contributed on special teams before injuries limited his snap count.
With the departure of Boutte and the release of rookie Kobe Prentice, New England’s receiver roster is expected to settle around six players likely to make the 53-man roster, including Brown, Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism. The addition of Reed adds depth to a safety group that includes starters Craig Woodson and Kevin Byard, while the Patriots continue to explore three-safety packages.
The seventh-round pick restores the Patriots to seven selections in the 2028 draft after previous trades moved other picks to Philadelphia and New Orleans.