Patriots Player Departure Patriots are sending WR Kayshon Boutte to the Texans for safety Jaylen Reed and a draft pick

[upstater1]

40 yards per season in a starter for a SB team should be interesting to compare to other WR's on top teams. Since this is meaningless, perhaps there are lots more that had lover stats. especially on passing teams.

And surely, his total of 33 total receptions stands out among starting playoff and SB receivers.

Boutte was a key player in 2025, but far from the star that Vrabel wanted to pay Doubs money to extend.

Are yards not the most important thing? I'm not sure what I'm saying is even controversial.

The team wants successful plays. Actually catching the ball and doing it for yards should not be dismissed. Yet here we are crediting others for alternately running more and also dismissing their drops and disconnects.

 

[JackBauer]

Will you just do us all a favor and either go with him or back to the Jets forum where you belong?

You understand that you can just disagree with people amicably, right?

 

[imahobgoblin]

YAC is meaningless when your YPC are high and your target rate is sky high.

We seem to be dismissing the one trait we've been starving for.

A WR who can fly down the boundary, adjust his body and speed, track a ball, and snag it! All because we want to prioritize some new age metric.

I could understand if we were talking about Christian Watson who only gets 9 yards per target, or Alec Pierce who does not connect with his QB more than half the time... but Boutte is making those downfield catches at a very high rate.

Oh, I thought we traded for AJ Brown this offseason. Was I just dreaming? And what do you mean by fly? Boutte's 40 time was 4.50. Doubs is 4.47 and Brown is 4.49. We all know that Williams runs a 4.4. He tracks well, but doesn't have body adjustment yet. But he had a better rookie year that Boutte (KW = 10r/209y/3td vs KB = 2r/19y).

 

[rkarp1]

Are yards not the most important thing? I'm not sure what I'm saying is even controversial.

The team wants successful plays. Actually catching the ball and doing it for yards should not be dismissed. Yet here we are crediting others for alternately running more and also dismissing their drops and disconnects.

most every time Boutte touched the ball was either for a first down or TD
he demanded the ball earlier in his career, and was red flagged
he keeps his mouth shut and he is a model citizen...

 

[Ring 6]

I agree with your asessment of Pop
my assumption is as this shakes out, Pop slides.
AJB, Doubs, Hollins, Williams garner more snap totals, and perhaps Chism/DeGennaro will as well

It needs to be Williams. Williams is the only guy beyond Brien and Doubs with any shot to bring more then a JAG
Williams can take top off, draw the coverage and open up the field by making the type of deep catches Boutte did. Maye has no hesitation to throw the dep ball and throws it exceptionally, but we are risking sending him out there with no one to throw it to effectively.
If Williams takes that role and plays how I think he will, the trade made sense. If not we are going to be wondering why we can’t hit the deep ball any more and why defense are packing the short and intermediate part of the forks successfully against us.

 

[Triumph]

The Pats were sort of screwed dealing Boutte now.

1. The writing was on the wall. Boutte was seeing less and less time practicing with Maye and the # 1's and more time with Devito as the NE offense fine tunes for when the live ammo starts flying.

2. Vrabes kept saying that the Pats could very well keep 7 WRs. Everybody knew that was BS.

3. Roster spots are precious and keeping Boutte risked losing a player that the Pats want to retain.

4. Time was running out for the Pats and Boutte. To do right by Boutte he should be on his new team for a few weeks getting acclimated to the team, coaches and playbook. For NE, Boutte has been cool on the surface, but he is a stick of dynamite. The NE position coaches have praised Boutte on his behavior through all of this, but talk is cheap and only buys so much time.

5. The perfect opportunity arose for Boutte. Houston is about 4 hours from Bouttes home town in New Iberia, LA and his former alum LSU. He is back in the South and most natives that leave cannot wait to get back. Also, the AFCS is the best division tax wise - 8 games TX,1 game FLA and 1 game TENN.

6. The Pats needed at least 2 teams vying for Bouttes services to see the truly best offer. I believe that if Boutte had acted right and stayed in NE for 2026, that he very well could have put up a 1000 yard 7 TD season. Then a 7th is insulting for a young WR who has improved every season and producing.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Well you did

Again you are stuck on a stat page. Boutte brought more value that volume of receptions. First, he ran routes that are far less targeted. By doing that well he drew coverage, of that there is no doubt, just look at the film. A passing game isn’t send 5 guys out randomly and see who gets open. It’s a coordinated combination of routes. The success Maye had connecting deep with Boutte forced defenses to respect that. This opened up other routes which enabled the catches by the other players. You do understand that hitting Henry in the seam is a result of drawing a safety out of it right?
Why would you think that receptions is all that matters?
Perhaps Boutte overachieved in his role as the guy running the least likely to be open route that draws coverage from Diggs running the most likely to get open first progression, and Diggs underachieved. You can’t compare production as the first progression to production as the 4th. It’s like saying the OL didn’t catch any passes so they didn’t help the passing game.
I don’t think we can have a productive discussion if all you want to do is write down stats and pretend every player is playing under the same circumstances.

First off, I like Boutte and preferred he stayed here for 2026.

But let me ask you a couple of questions.

How many times was Boutte double covered last year?
Any WR that runs deep patterns draws at least single coverage, opposing Ds don’t let guys run unchecked down the field.
So technically any WR running deep routes would draw at least single coverage, so Boutte would need to dictate more than that to really stand out.
I don’t remember him drawing double coverage much, so this is a sincere question.

Secondly, if people are stuck on a stat page and Boutte brought more value than the value of receptions, why do you routinely use those same stats to devalue Hollins?

Let’s discuss.

 

[Triumph]

Doubs is bigger, taller, better athlete and doesn’t have a surgically reconstructed ankle. He was a much smarter investment than giving the same money to Boutte.

With Boutte gone they can use Williams more and his speed can open up underneath routes for everyone else.

The WR room is much better than it was last season. No offense to Boutte but it’s better than it was a couple days ago, addition by subtraction.

The Pats are neck deep in WRs and the only guy past 30 is Hollins.

 

[Rob0729]

Well you did

Again you are stuck on a stat page. Boutte brought more value that volume of receptions. First, he ran routes that are far less targeted. By doing that well he drew coverage, of that there is no doubt, just look at the film. A passing game isn’t send 5 guys out randomly and see who gets open. It’s a coordinated combination of routes. The success Maye had connecting deep with Boutte forced defenses to respect that. This opened up other routes which enabled the catches by the other players. You do understand that hitting Henry in the seam is a result of drawing a safety out of it right?
Why would you think that receptions is all that matters?
Perhaps Boutte overachieved in his role as the guy running the least likely to be open route that draws coverage from Diggs running the most likely to get open first progression, and Diggs underachieved. You can’t compare production as the first progression to production as the 4th. It’s like saying the OL didn’t catch any passes so they didn’t help the passing game.
I don’t think we can have a productive discussion if all you want to do is write down stats and pretend every player is playing under the same circumstances.

If I did show me proof. Because you cannot. I actually don't know how good Doubs is specifically as a deep threat. And Jordan Love is not deep ball passer that Maye is so by your own standard, you really cannot judge Doubs as a deep ball receiver since Doubs has never played with a QB as good a deep ball passer as Maye.

In fact, I have said repeatedly that if they kept Boutte, I would consider making the starting line up of Brown in the X, Boutte in Z, and Doubs in slot. If I was putting Doubs in the slot, you would think I don't consider him a great deep ball receiver especially on this team.

And if you are talking about keeping receivers who Maye have a comfort with, of course the number of receptions matter. You would think the receiver that a QB has most passes to is the receiver the QB has the most comfort with.

And if the coaching staff thought Boutte was a guy who had a special relationship with Maye that cannot be recreated, they would have kept him. They probably would have given him the contract that Doubs got.

I agree we probably cannot continue a productive discussion, but it is more that you are putting words in my mouth that I clearly didn't say and you are constantly moving the goalpost and contradicting your own arguments when it doesn't serve your new argument.

 

[Wozzy]

If Boutte was as good as some here are suggesting, there would have been a long line for his services. They would have gotten more in return. The Pats wouldn’t have traded him in the AFC to a team they played in the playoffs last year.

No opponent enters a game fearing Boutte, or game planning for him. He can be negated pretty easily by a similarly sized athletic corner. He’s an average/good contested catch WR with a surgically reconstructed ankle.

The Pats went out of their way to improve the WR position this offseason for a reason.

 

[PatsFan2]

If Boutte was as good as some here are suggesting, there would have been a long line for his services. They would have gotten more in return. The Pats wouldn’t have traded him in the AFC to a team they played in the playoffs last year.

No opponent enters a game fearing Boutte, or game planning for him. He can be negated pretty easily by a similarly sized athletic corner. He’s an average/good contested catch WR with a surgically reconstructed ankle.

The Pats went out of their way to improve the WR position this offseason for a reason.

Romeo Doubs need to have a 800yds season he hasn't had one yet.

 

[Rob0729]

Are yards not the most important thing? I'm not sure what I'm saying is even controversial.

The team wants successful plays. Actually catching the ball and doing it for yards should not be dismissed. Yet here we are crediting others for alternately running more and also dismissing their drops and disconnects.

If yards matter, why not that he only had 551 yards? Or that he was basically tied for third in most yards on the team (he had one more yard than Hollins) as the #2 WR.

 

[Uptown]

Romeo Doubs need to have a 800yds season he hasn't had one yet.

Research that GB offensive scheme..

 

[Ring 6]

First off, I like Boutte and preferred he stayed here for 2026.

But let me ask you a couple of questions.

How many times was Boutte double covered last year?
Any WR that runs deep patterns draws at least single coverage, opposing Ds don’t let guys run unchecked down the field.
So technically any WR running deep routes would draw at least single coverage, so Boutte would need to dictate more than that to really stand out.
I don’t remember him drawing double coverage much, so this is a sincere question.

Secondly, if people are stuck on a stat page and Boutte brought more value than the value of receptions, why do you routinely use those same stats to devalue Hollins?

Let’s discuss.

Watch the film. There is a safety over top of him A LOT.

Fair point. Because Hollins isn’t bringing that aspect to the table. Hollins is playing a role that should have a higher volume of throws. Again you have to look further than raw numbers and look at the role and usage. A guy who spends most of the day running off coverage is not going to get a lot of targets, but a guy operating in the short to intermediate area, the area route combos are designed to open up, should.

 

[Ring 6]

If yards matter, why not that he only had 551 yards? Or that he was basically tied for third in most yards on the team (he had one more yard than Hollins) as the #2 WR.

His season was derailed by injury.
In the first 8 games he was 23/415/5. That is good production. Then he was injured, missed games, and parts of games, and that affected his numbers..

 

[imahobgoblin]

You understand that you can just disagree with people amicably, right?

It depends on if the person is an idiot or not.

 

[Rob0729]

His season was derailed by injury.
In the first 8 games he was 23/415/5. That is good production. Then he was injured, missed games, and parts of games, and that affected his numbers..

We do not know that. People assume his lack of production later in the season was due to injury. We don't know that.

A three game stretch in September when he was healthy, he had 4 catches for 62 yards and TD on 7 targets. That is an average of 1.33 catches, 20.7 yards, and 0.33 TDs a game average when healthy.

If you are going write off the post injury stretch, you gotta explain the preinjury stretches that he under performs.

Half of his production in the first eight games came from games against the Raiders and Saints (11 catches for 203 yards and 2 TDs). The other six games he had 12 catch for 212 yards and 3 TDs or a 2 catch, 35.3 yards, and 0.5 TD average.

 

[PatsFan2]

We do not know that. People assume his lack of production later in the season was due to injury. We don't know that.

A three game stretch in September when he was healthy, he had 4 catches for 62 yards and TD on 7 targets. That is an average of 1.33 catches, 20.7 yards, and 0.33 TDs a game average when healthy.

If you are going write off the post injury stretch, you gotta explain the preinjury stretches that he under performs.

Before the Atlanta game he was coming off 93 - 55 and 75yds games. Boutte was a Hot WR.

 

[Rob0729]

Before the Atlanta game he was coming off 93 - 55 and 75yds games. Boutte was a Hot WR.

Since you posted this before I revised my posts. I will post this again:


Half of his production in the first eight games came from games against the Raiders and Saints (11 catches for 203 yards and 2 TDs) and they were not good defenses. The other six games he had 12 catch for 212 yards and 3 TDs or a 2 catch, 35.3 yards, and 0.5 TD average.

Boutte is good, but inconsistent.

 

[Ring 6]

If I did show me proof. Because you cannot. I actually don't know how good Doubs is specifically as a deep threat. And Jordan Love is not deep ball passer that Maye is so by your own standard, you really cannot judge Doubs as a deep ball receiver since Doubs has never played with a QB as good a deep ball passer as Maye.

In fact, I have said repeatedly that if they kept Boutte, I would consider making the starting line up of Brown in the X, Boutte in Z, and Doubs in slot. If I was putting Doubs in the slot, you would think I don't consider him a great deep ball receiver especially on this team.

And if you are talking about keeping receivers who Maye have a comfort with, of course the number of receptions matter. You would think the receiver that a QB has most passes to is the receiver the QB has the most comfort with.

And if the coaching staff thought Boutte was a guy who had a special relationship with Maye that cannot be recreated, they would have kept him. They probably would have given him the contract that Doubs got.

I agree we probably cannot continue a productive discussion, but it is more that you are putting words in my mouth that I clearly didn't say and you are constantly moving the goalpost and contradicting your own arguments when it doesn't serve your new argument.

I did I copied it in and bolded it.

You would want Boutte as X and Brown as Z and slot wouldn’t be a Wes Welker slot, in fact throughout a game, all 3 would align inside at times. You want Boutte as your lower volume coverage drawing receiver, opening up things for Brown and Doubs. Our offense has a history of X receivers being low volume, high reward receivers who spend a lot of the day running off coverage


Diggs wasn’t staying at his cost, age and injury risk.
Again I have to stress that designating the guy as progression 1 most of the time doesn’t make him good. There is a level of production you get just because you are #1 and everyone else runs routes to help you get open. Diggs actually underperformed last year. The role they put him in should have gotten over 100 catches and 1300 yards with Maye at QB.

Boutte is a different receiver than Doubs. I’m not sure where this special relationship that cannot be recreated garbage is coming from, but nice deflection.

I quoted your post and bolded your words. You said them, I didn’t put words I your mouth, I reposed them.
I have not moved any goal post or contradicted a thing.
Please tell me what you think was contradicted because you clearly don’t understand. Or that last paragraph is just you bailing out with an L I suppose