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

[PatsFan2]

Again, what was the offensive scheme in GB?? You can’t just take the raw numbers & take it at face value..

The Absence of a True Number One Receiver​

“Not having a single dominant 150 target receiver is not a weakness here, it is camouflage.”

“Defenses cannot bracket one player and tilt coverage. If you double Watson vertically, Reed works the middle. If you clamp down on Reed in the slot, Golden/Wicks wins outside on isolation routes. If safeties stay deep, the run game eats light boxes.”

“Love distributes based on coverage, not reputation. That makes weekly game planning difficult. There is no single head of the snake to cut off.”

Wisconsin Sports Talk

The Pack lost a Major part of their Offense after 8 games last year TE Tucker Kraft. How would you explain Doubs numbers after that?? I thought it should have been way more because the other TE Luke Musgrave stunk.

 

[Ring 6]

A.J. Brown was a Slot WR in College so I am sure he can still play there if asked. So I hope McDaniels have Formations where he lines up Williams - Brown and Doubs: Brown is an accomplished Receiver.

The scheme will prioritize getting the ball to AJ Brown. Putting him in Bouttes role of running deep down the sideline to draw a safety and take a shot when he doesn’t won’t accomplish that.

 

[PatsFan2]

Boutte hasn’t had a 600 yard season despite having the best young QB in the game.

Barring injury Doubs will have the most productive season of his career, this despite a schedule that is absurdly tough.

Two of those year were $hitty situations cluelesss lost his marbles BB and then Mayo.

 

[Wozzy]

Two of those year were $hitty situations cluelesss lost his marbles BB and then Mayo.

Boutte had more receptions and yards in 2024 than he had in 2025. Douglas still led the WR room in receptions, yards, 1st downs and catch percentage in 2024.

If people have to scramble, bend over backwards, roll out efficiency and projected stats to explain how Boutte is better than the NFL actual thinks… there’s a good chance you’re a homer.

A great receiver has a trade market, they don’t trade him for a late round pick. They got adequate value for an adequate player who needs a new contract.

 

[PatsFan2]

Boutte had more receptions and yards in 2024 than he had in 2025. Douglas still led the WR room in receptions, yards, 1st downs and catch percentage in 2024.

If people have to scramble, bend over backwards, roll out efficiency and projected stats to explain how Boutte is better than the NFL actual thinks… there’s a good chance you’re a homer.

A great receiver has a trade market, they don’t trade him for a late round pick. They got adequate value for an adequate player who needs a new contract.

You better hope he doesn't have more yards than Doubs - KW and Pop. Because I will call you out Woz. They Scouted that Houston Safety last year that's' why they made the deal.

 

[Ross12]

I am going to go out on a limb and guess that Boutte will make a few splash plays over the course of the year that look nice on tape and make the social media-verse go "ha ha, dumb Patriots, I can't believe you traded this guy!!!!" ...... but ultimately, he will finish the year with less than 600 yards and will then leave to sign a contract for some other non-Texans team and within three years Texans fans will have forgotten he ever played there.

 

[Wozzy]

You better hope he doesn't have more yards than Doubs - KW and Pop. Because I will call you out Woz.

He’s played the most WR snaps on the team the last two years with Drake Maye… were the conditions not there to succeed?

 

[Uptown]

The Pack lost a Major part of their Offense after 8 games last year TE Tucker Kraft. How would you explain Doubs numbers after that?? I thought it should have been way more because the other TE Luke Musgrave stunk.

The system bro. Love missed 2 games and GB doesn’t throw the ball anywhere as much as other teams do. They’re much like Philadelphia. Not many pass attempts. For example, who do you think the league leader in pass attempts would be? Allen, Mahomes, Stafford, Burrow, Dak, Goff etc?.. Right?? Nope! It was Bo Nix lol with 612 pass attempts. Guess how many Love had?? 439!!! For even more context, Hurts had 454 attempts & they barely throw the ball in that offense. Hurts had more attempts than Love. Even if you give Love 2 more games that he missed, he averaged about 26 attempts per game; so give him say 52 more attempts over the course of the season. That’s still only 491 attempts which is extremely low considering the era the game is currently in. Sooo yeah, bruh…Doubs is being undervalued. The league knows & many here will be pleasantly surprised…

 

[Wozzy]

I am going to go out on a limb and guess that Boutte will make a few splash plays over the course of the year that look nice on tape and make the social media-verse go "ha ha, dumb Patriots, I can't believe you traded this guy!!!!" ...... but ultimately, he will finish the year with less than 600 yards and will then leave to sign a contract for some other non-Texans team and within three years Texans fans will have forgotten he ever played there.

I think he could go on to have a long successful career as a possession receiver assuming health. He’s still never going to be more than a Juju type receiver. He’s 5’11, he’s not getting taller, faster or quicker at this point… especially with that ankle. He is what he is.

 

[PatsFan2]

He’s played the most WR snaps on the team the last two years with Drake Maye… were the conditions not there to succeed?

Mayes' Rookie year doesn't count remember Brissett played for Half the year; plus we had clueless Mayo. That should be a gap year in any Patriots Players memory. You saw what he did with Year 2 Maye and a Competent Staff before getting concussed.

 

[upstater1]

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.

Holy cow -- we're on a merry-go-round here.

Is someone saying he's an All-Pro?

No.

I'm comparing him to comparable players. This is off the link you sent that had guys like Terry McLaurin and Christian Watson ranked right around him.

 

[PatsFan2]

The system bro. Love missed 2 games and GB doesn’t throw the ball anywhere as much as other teams do. They’re much like Philadelphia. Not many pass attempts. For example, who do you think the league leader in pass attempts would be? Allen, Mahomes, Stafford, Burrow, Dak, Goff etc?.. Right?? Nope! It was Bo Nix lol with 612 pass attempts. Guess how many Love had?? 439!!! For even more context, Hurts had 454 attempts & they barely throw the ball in that offense. Hurts had more attempts than Love. Even if you give Love 2 more games that he missed, he averaged about 26 attempts per game; so give him say 52 more attempts over the course of the season. That’s still only 491 attempts which is extremely low considering the era the game is currently in. Sooo yeah, bruh…Doubs is being undervalued. The league knows & many here will be pleasantly surprised…

Interesting maybe Romeo Doubs is better than regarded: I always viewed the Pack as a passing Team. Love the Facts in your explanation. Totally forgot they have RB Josh Jacobs and that running game.

 

[Uptown]

Interesting maybe Romeo Doubs is better than regarded: I always viewed the Pack as a passing Team. Love the Facts in your explanation. Totally forget they have RB Josh Jacobs and that running game.

It seems that way because of their efficiency & the Rodgers/LaFluer era. They’re always usually up there in PPG. However, they’re the definition of spread the ball around/favorite receiver is the open one. I truly believe Doubs will 10+ TDs this year.

 

[Rob0729]

Actually i dont have to you have it right here

Wait you think a 10 yard pass “takes the top off”. Do you understand what that means? It means going over the “top” ie deepest coverage.
Over 30% of Bouttes targets were over 20 yards and he caught 72% of them.
Doubs had something like 45% catch and 17% of targets.

I did not contradict myself at all.
I, correctly, pointed out that arguing what Boutte would do without Maye is irrelevant because Maye is here.
I also compared ADOT to catch rate for all Patriots WRs to educate you that context matters, then since Doubs was in the conversation I added FYI here are Doubs numbers, with no comment, comparison or additional statement.
Maybe you don’t understand “contradict” any better than “take the top off”

Thank you! I never said it. At least we can come to some understanding. We can now agree that I said Doubs was better at getting separation and not a better deep ball receiver.

I accept your apology. You are done here. I am done with your foolishness.

You wasted everyone's time when I clearly was talking about Boutte's ability to get separation. You took three words out of the entire post and made the argument your own and argued against wasting everyone's time.

 

[TommyD4207]

You better hope he doesn't have more yards than Doubs - KW and Pop. Because I will call you out Woz. They Scouted that Houston Safety last year that's' why they made the deal.

Imagine getting called out...

 

[PatsFan2]

It seems that way because of their efficiency & the Rodgers/LaFluer era. They’re always usually up there in PPG. However, they’re the definition of spread the ball around/favorite receiver is the open one. I truly believe Doubs will 10+ TDs this year.

One thing that sticks out about Doubs is that He gets' TD's. Same with A.J. Brown Pats putting emphasis on Receivers who gets' TD's.

 

[upstater1]

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.

Did someone devalue Hollins?

Anyway, Hollins checked in with 12 ypc. He was more intermediate.

If Boutte isn't drawing double coverage, it's because he's always on the boundary which naturally means he will only ever have a CB on him, possibly with very deep safeties over the top, but we saw that last year with him repeatedly making catches on the sideline where a safety could provide no cover help.

People are acting like this is a trait easily reproducible and yet the Patriots haven't had a guy like that in eons. He's not Hollins (who will be 33 the first week of the season, by the way), he's not Diggs, he's not Doubs. Judging the way I've seen Williams being used, that's a more apt comparison, since Williams is frquently running similar routes, ad even Williams' big catch last year was similar to Boutte's.

I've already said this but for this trade to make any sense, the coaches feel that Williams will be better than Boutte at what they need from that skillset.

Time will tell.

If Williams has a good year, the coaches and front office will be vindicated.

 

[PatsFan2]

Imagine getting called out...

Who Dat?? I can't see.

 

[TommyD4207]

Did someone devalue Hollins?

Anyway, Hollins checked in with 12 ypc. He was more intermediate.

If Boutte isn't drawing double coverage, it's because he's always on the boundary which naturally means he will only ever have a CB on him, possibly with very deep safeties over the top, but we saw that last year with him repeatedly making catches on the sideline where a safety could provide no cover help.

People are acting like this is a trait easily reproducible and yet the Patriots haven't had a guy like that in eons. He's not Hollins (who will be 33 the first week of the season, by the way), he's not Diggs, he's not Doubs. Judging the way I've seen Williams being used, that's a more apt comparison, since Williams is frquently running similar routes, ad even Williams' big catch last year was similar to Boutte's.

I've already said this but for this trade to make any sense, the coaches feel that Williams will be better than Boutte at what they need from that skillset.

Time will tell.

If Williams has a good year, the coaches and front office will be vindicated.

How about this? Boutte goes on to have a good career in the NFL - AND the front office is vindicated.

Not only 'can both things be true', but I think it's the most likely scenario.

Edit: You will have your usual bucket crabs in here for the next 10 years crying over every single catch Boutte makes until he retires - just like they do with Tyquan Thornton, just like they do with Jakobi Meyers. Like it actually means anything long-term, or in the macro.

 

[patfanken]

WHY are we still talking about this so passionately, however you choose to judge Boutte's skill level, the fact remains that Boutte would have been a REDUNANT player who had 2 players with a similar skill set that were BETTER than him. One THIS year's Pats team Boutte would have been relegated to a role of quality depth.

This role would have been further complicated by the fact that Mike wants to emphasize the run more and use a FB so 3 WR formations would likely be on the field for fewer snaps than last year and all that applies to the WR room. PLUS, having Boutte on the offense would further limit the development of Kyle Williams who has a much higher ceiling and a more dangerous skill set than Boutte. Plus, the emergence of Chism, DeGennaro, and others made Boutte

There is a REASON why Boutte only had 33 receptions last season. We all know what he is on the positive side, BUT he also is a guy who doesn't separate well. He doesn't isn't particularly big, and his YAC is literally disgraceful. If you need a solid guy who can win contested catch battles, Boutte is your guy. He is an asset to any WR room, but never the guy who stirs the drink. William COULD end up being that kind of guy, and having Boutte on the roster holds back his development.

Granted I would rather have had a LB or edge and a 2027 6th, but the more I get to know Reed, the more I see the logic. As he develops, he could add depth and position flexibility to defense as well as ST's.

Nothing I have written hasn't already been said ad nauseum. No need to get pissed at each other. The bottom line here is the deal is done. Let's see at the end of the season, and see what the 2 players have added to their teams.