Patriots trade wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to Texans for safety Jaylen Reed and a seventh-round pick
New England sent fourth-year receiver Kayshon Boutte to Houston in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round draft selection.
The New England Patriots have dealt fourth-year wideout Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans. In return, the Texans will send safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round draft pick to New England, according to reports from The Ringer and NFL Network.
Houston, which is coping with an ACL injury to receiver Jayden Higgins, had been exploring trade options and previously held workouts with veteran receivers Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard. Boutte, who recorded 551 receiving yards on 33 catches last season and scored a touchdown in the Patriots’ divisional-round win over the Texans, joins a receiving group that includes Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Jaylin Noel and rookie Lewis Bond.
The Patriots, who added Romeo Doubs in free agency and previously pursued A.J. Brown, have a crowded wide-receiver room. Robert Kraft described the depth as "pretty full," prompting speculation that the team wanted to move Boutte, who is entering the final year of his contract before free agency.
Jaylen Reed, a 2025 sixth-round pick, appeared in seven games for Houston last season, starting once. He will compete for playing time with the Patriots’ safety depth chart, which includes Dell Pettus and veterans Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson.
Both clubs retain key players at the positions involved: the Texans have signed safety Reed Blankenship and retain players such as Calen Bullock and Jalen Pitre, while the Patriots have re-signed safety Kevin Byard after losing Jaylinn Hawkins in free agency.
The trade concludes months of speculation about the Patriots’ wide-receiver surplus and provides Houston with a young receiver to bolster its roster ahead of the 2026 season.