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

[Kdo5]

The league may not be right, but maybe it is the Pats fans that are wrong. Boutte was very up and down last year even before his injury. He was awesome against the Raiders week one and then disappeared for a month. Most of his big games during the regular season were against bad defenses.

I like Boutte, but he is really a #3 or #4 WR on this team and wasn't going to get a lot of passes. He clearly isn't as good as Brown. I think Doubs is better. Pop is better in the slot role since that isn't a position Boutte could really play.

I thought they might be able to get more, but Boutte has been on the trade block for a while with no takers. I doubt they would just give him away to a potential playoff competitor like the Texans. The market is the market.

Personally, I think Boutte is going to have a significant decline with the change in QBs. Stroud isn't in the same universe as Maye. Stroud crumbles under pressure and his accuracy has gone from a very accurate passer his rookie year to an inconsistent one since. Boutte benefitted from Maye putting passes in perfect spots in tight windows down the field. He won't get that in Houston unless Stroud finds his rookie year magic again which I doubt.

Respectfully completely disagree with your analysis of him last season.

 

[Steve102]

A 7th and a Special Teams guy. Wow. Crazy how we overvalue our players. I saw some projecting a 4th or better.

I like Boutte and hopefully he has a good career in Houston.

Phil Perry also said they should hold out for a 3rd. It's not just this board.

The problem comes in, IMO, that he's a guy that is going to hit the free agent market and someone will be stupid and give him too much because he plays WR and FA wideouts get paid even if they are JAGs. So that likely depressed the value.

He's likely going to be on a different team come 2027 after getting a 1 yr "prove it" deal. I think he's heading into Marquez Valdes-Scantling territory. Good enough to take a shot on, but never really excelling. I think he's going to bounce around forever now.

 

[Rob0729]

Then since he clearly has more value here, why trade him?

Does he? As a fourth WR? He was a back up here. Maybe Reed turns into a starter with the Pats. I mean with Byard's age, he is likely just an one year rental.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I'm going to be in the minority on this but I think it's a fair trade. I like Boutte and didn't like the 7th rounder, but looking at Reed I see a guy who could become their starting strong safety in 27'. He's a very good athlete with good size (211), and excellent speed for a safety. He's an excellent tackler and should play the hybrid s/lb nickel position for them. I think he's a kid who they must have really like in the 25' draft, but had already taken Woodson and had other priorities at the time. We will see how it pans out, but their evaluations of players in the last 2 draft's have been excellent, and they need run stopping depth, so I'm not going to crap on the move.

 

[Uptown]

 

[imahobgoblin]

In my mind the major front office foul up was getting Doubs. He wasn't needed. His presence and his contract kind of forced Boutte out the door. I'd rather have Boutte. He's a money player you want to build with. Doubs hasn't shown me anything yet.Yards/

You have no idea what you are talking about. Doubs was grabbed before the deal for AJ Brown was made. If AJ fell through, we would have had to bring back the same WR core as last year and that was not an option. Doubs is a solid #2 and the team obviously value him higher than Boutte, who they have been working with for 3 years. There is obviously something there the team does not like. How could Doubs show you anything when he has not played a single game here yet? If you are referring to past seasons, then you must be blind.

Career stat Doubs Boutte
Seasons 4 3
Games 63 34
Receptions 202 78
Receiving Yards 2424 1159
Yards/catch 12 14.9
Receiving TDs 21 9
Yards/game 38.5 34.1
Receptions/game 3.21 2.29

2025
Receptions 55 33
Yards 724 551
TDs 6 6
Yards/catch 13.2 16.7

Boutte was substantially more explosive per reception, while Doubs has been the more proven, higher-volume receiver.

 

[condon84]

Texans fans ecstatic about this on their forum

They gave up a bag of peanuts for a WR2.

 

[DaBruinz]

Texans fans are going to love Boutte. He will do more for them than Doubs will do for us. (The Doubs move is another one I didn't like). Jaylen Reed needs to turn into Ed Reed for me not to feel sour about this trade.

I was ok with the Doubs move. Absolutely hate the Brown move because of the picks involved. Brown isn't Randy Moss or even Terrell Owens. He's a very good receiver, but Boutte is younger and is still developing. Boutte has also shown a penchant to be clutch and beat the top Corners consistently.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I suggest everyone throw a **** fit and trash the Patriots for making this deal, after all that's what so many here are best at.

 

[Huckleberry1]

They gave up a bag of peanuts for a WR2.

Boo hoo hoo.

 

[Borg140]

That’s the chicken vs egg issue the FO had that I don’t envy…Williams needs more opportunities to see if he’s a guy or not.

Boutte they were never going to pay, so had to get what they could.

Yep. A Boutte trade was inevitable imo. Ideally, Williams is showing more in camp.

 

[KCSVEN]

Does he? As a fourth WR? He was a back up here. Maybe Reed turns into a starter with the Pats. I mean with Byard's age, he is likely just an one year rental.

He would be 5th out of the gate, They'd have to have Williams as the 4th to see if he can be that guy. If Williams craps the bed then Boutte gets back in as 4th receiver, if Williams plays well Boutte stays as 5th receiver.
Let's not forget Boutte asked to be traded, he wanted to have a chance to make some money.
I forget about Mack Hollins, he had more targets than Boutte so maybe Boutte is the 6th receiver to start the year.

 

[Uptown]

You can't say that. The situations they've been in have been completely different. Look at the O-line situations between the two teams. Look at the depth of receivers. Look at the quality of Coaching.

Boutte:
3X HCs
3X OCs
3X WR Coaches.

2023 - Mac Jones throwing the ball
2024 - Brissett & Maye throwing the ball
2025 - Maye throwing the ball

Doubs:
1 HC
1 OC
1 WR Coah



2022 - Aaron Rodgers throwing Doubs the ball
2023 to 2025 - Jordan Love throwing Doubs the ball.

Not only did Doubs have a better QB situation, but also more stable coaching situation.

Not sure why people refuse to acknowledge this.

That’s all respectable & acknowledged; by me at least. Also, if you wanna take that route; Doubs played in offenses where his opportunities were somewhat limited. GB’s scheme spread the ball out because they had like 4-5 #2 receivers. He easily could’ve had 1,000 yards in GB if not for that. However, let’s just compare the two players at face value:

On film..What exactly does Boutte do better at the position than Doubs???

 

[Ring 6]

Does he? As a fourth WR? He was a back up here. Maybe Reed turns into a starter with the Pats. I mean with Byard's age, he is likely just a one year rental.

Well he should be a 4th WR.
Before getting injured last year he put up 23/431/5 in 8 games.
He was in the top few in the league in ypr

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

My first thought is that we have to put @PatsFan2 on suicide watch.

Don't dink too much bourbon, my brother, and if you need an Uber you have my number. Tread lightly for a day or two - it will be OK.

 

[Kdo5]

That’s all respectable & acknowledged; by me at least. However, let’s just compare the two players at face value:

On film..What exactly does Boutte do better at the position than Doubs???

I think the better question is what does Doubs do better than Boutte to justify paying and bringing in as a replacement?

 

[Rob0729]

Respectfully completely disagree with your analysis of him last season.

The four games after the season opener, he had a combined 7 catches for 105 yards and 1 TD. Over four games.

He got 201 yards of his 551 yards and two of his six TDs against the Raiders and Saints. I would say they both had bad defenses at the time the Pats played them. You take away those games and he had 351 yards and 4 TDs for the rest of the season. ]

Yes, he was injured part of it and he did have some good moments in the playoffs, but nothing consistent there (although no one on offense was consistent in the playoffs).

I think my analysis is more spot on that you might want to believe.

Again, I think Boutte is a good receiver. I think people here overrate him. Some vastly overrate him.

 

[Ring 6]

You can't say that. The situations they've been in have been completely different. Look at the O-line situations between the two teams. Look at the depth of receivers. Look at the quality of Coaching.

Boutte:
3X HCs
3X OCs
3X WR Coaches.

2023 - Mac Jones throwing the ball
2024 - Brissett & Maye throwing the ball
2025 - Maye throwing the ball

Doubs:
1 HC
1 OC
1 WR Coah



2022 - Aaron Rodgers throwing Doubs the ball
2023 to 2025 - Jordan Love throwing Doubs the ball.

Not only did Doubs have a better QB situation, but also more stable coaching situation.

Not sure why people refuse to acknowledge this.

And before being injured last year in 8 games Boutte put up 23/431/5

 

[Uptown]

I think the better question is what does Doubs do better than Boutte to justify paying and bringing in as a replacement?

Pretty much everything. Check the film..Those who are doubting Doubs have either barely watched him play, or simply haven’t watched him play. That what the consensus seems like..because pretty much everyone (including GMs, other players, coaches, film junkies, some on this forum etc..) who’s familiar with both of their respective skillsets know Doubs is clearly a better receiver. It may be on a Moss-Edelman type scale, but it’s clear.

 

[Rob0729]

Well he should be a 4th WR.
Before getting injured last year he put up 23/431/5 in 8 games.
He was in the top few in the league in ypr

201 of those yards and two of the TDs came in two games (Raiders and Saints). So over the other six, he had 231 yards and 3 TDs. That is 38.5 yards and 0.5 TDs a game as a #2 WR. Not that all impressive.