Patriots trade receiver Kayshon Boutte to Texans, coach says he would likely have been inactive
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel explained that the trade of sixth-round pick Kayshon Boutte was driven by depth-chart considerations and limited special-teams opportunities, and praised the player’s openness about his personal struggles.
The New England Patriots have dealt wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans. Coach Mike Vrabel said the move reflected the team’s depth at receiver and the likelihood that Boutte would have been inactive on game days, particularly because he was not slated for special-teams duties.
"That was one place where we do have some depth," Vrabel told reporters after the preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns. "I think for all parties involved, that was probably the best thing without injuries, you know? OK, sure, he probably would have been inactive, unfortunately, because it’s kind of the way it was. It’s just him not playing special teams."
Vrabel added that he had repeatedly thanked Boutte for his maturity and for speaking publicly about his gambling addiction while at LSU, noting that the player’s candor could help others facing similar issues.
"I tried to thank Kayshon as many times as I could," he said. "Just his maturity, his growth. His ability to put into words last year and share his own personal struggle, but also the growth that he made from that, that is positively going to affect a lot of people. I know that that wasn’t easy for him to do, and I tell him all the time about how much I respect him."