For much of the offseason, there were questions about how things might shake out when it came to the wide receiver position, given the addition of both A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. That left Kayshon Boutte as the player whose future was in doubt, especially after rumors surfaced that his name was involved in trade talks.
Last week’s news of Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins tearing an ACL left Houston in a tough spot, especially considering where they finished last year prior to their loss against New England in the Divisional Round.
Rumors have since swirled that they might have been in the market as a potential trade partner with the Patriots for Boutte, and on Monday, that finally came to fruition.
According to Tom Pelissero, the Patriots agreed to terms on a trade with the Texans, sending Boutte to Houston in exchange for a 2028 seventh-round pick and Texans safety Jalen Reed.
Houston has seen Boutte twice in the last three years. He caught 3 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown against them in 2024, and then this past postseason, when Boutte hauled in 5 receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. That game included a one-handed grab on his TD that will go down as one of the more memorable plays in the Patriots’ postseason history.
Nick Caserio knows all too well that acquiring a player who gave his team trouble is generally a good idea, and now Boutte will help boost Houston’s offense moving forward.
Not Much Room For Boutte
With seven receivers, had the Patriots kept him, there wasn’t much to go around when it came to his numbers.
After trying to project how the entire group might fare this season, there wasn’t any room to fit Boutte in, based on how it felt the team was headed and how the numbers shook out. Boutte finished last season with 551 receiving yards (3rd on the team) along with 6 touchdowns.
Following the additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs this past offseason, seeing Boutte have a repeat of last year or even building on it didn’t seem likely.
2026 Projected QB/WR Totals
QB Drake Maye: 4,785 Yds | 39 TDs
— Wide Receivers —
- A.J. Brown: 855 Yds, 9 TD
- Romeo Doubs: 625 Yds, 7 TD
- DeMario Douglas: 485 Yds, 4 TD
- Mack Hollins: 370 Yds, 2 TD
- Kyle Williams: 360 Yds, 3 TD
- Efton Chism III: 195 Yds, 1 TD
— Tight Ends —
- Hunter Henry: 685 Yds, 8 TD
- Eli Raridon: 395 Yds, 3 TD
— Running Backs —
- TreVeyon Henderson: 330 Yds, 1 TD
- Rhamondre Stevenson: 245 Yds, 1 TD
- Reggie Gilliam: 135 Yds, 0 TD
- Lan Larison: 105 Yds, 0 TD
Created with YardShare at PatsFans.com
Maye finished with 4,394 yards in 2025 during the regular season, putting him fourth behind Matthew Stafford (4,707 yards in 2025 with 46 touchdowns). Second in the NFL was Jared Goff (4,564 yards and 34 TDs), followed by Dak Prescott (4,552 yards and 30 TDs), and then Maye.
Based on the above, which is only an educated guess based on previous receiving production, Maye would need to have a better season than each of his peers did last season, and that’s just to give the guys he has now numbers that align with their previous totals.
Team has big expectations for Williams in 2026. (PHOTO: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images)
Several Players Expected to Have Bigger Roles
The charts below show last year’s totals vs this year’s projected totals. The caveat here is that Kyle Williams seems to be expected to have a bigger role, as does DeMario Douglas. So both players were given slightly higher totals than the previous season. Hollins would likely be one of the key guys affected, which is why his numbers are a little lower.
Both Brown’s and Doubs’ totals were reduced primarily because of how their numbers stacked up relative to everyone else.
As it is, Efton Chism will likely see more time at various points throughout the season because injuries happen, and the odds are good that, given his growth, he’ll be part of their future. Also likely factoring in will be Reggie Gilliam and Lan Larison (who seems poised to earn a role as the #3 running back).
But looking below, the math didn’t leave much room for Boutte. Now he’s out of that equation, but it’s still a tall order for everyone to thrive this season:
2025 Passing Totals (Reg Season – Yds | TD)
| Name | Last Season | 2026 Projection |
|---|---|---|
| Drake Maye | 4,394 | 31 | 4,785 | 39 |
Receiving Totals (Reg Season)
| Name | 2025 (Yds | TD) | 2026 Projection (Yds | TD) |
|---|---|---|
| A.J. Brown | 1,003 | 7 | 855 | 9 |
| Romeo Doubs | 724 | 6 | 625 | 7 |
| DeMario Douglas | 447 | 3 | 485 | 4 |
| Mack Hollins | 550 | 2 | 370 | 2 |
| Kyle Williams | 209 | 3 | 360 | 3 |
| Efton Chism | 75 | 1 | 195 | 1 |
| Hunter Henry | 768 | 7 | 685 | 8 |
| Eli Raridon | – | 395 | 3 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 221 | 1 | 330 | 1 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | 345 | 2 | 245 | 1 |
| Reggie Gilliam | – | 135 |
| Lan Larison | – | 105 |
Patriots Add a Safety From Boutte Trade
Acquiring Reed now raises a question at safety. Reed, who appeared in 7 games during the regular season and both postseason games for the Texans, provides some additional depth, and he also spent a lot of time on special teams last season.
Craig Woodson was absent for the start of Monday’s practice, and the Patriots have Kevin Byard among their top safeties. From there, it’s Dell Pettus, Peter Manuma, Eric Butler, and Mike Brown currently as part of that group. Brown had a couple of tough moments Saturday night, as did Manuma, so it’s possible the Patriots opted to try and grab a player with experience and upside to build depth at that spot.
Vrabel already said following Saturday night’s game that they weren’t a very deep team, and this move at least allows them to come away with a more tangible return rather than just a draft pick.
Both Boutte and DeMario Douglas were in the final year of their respective contracts, and Douglas has appeared to be a player the coaching staff believes will have a bigger season in 2026. As a result, Boutte, who has had a productive preseason, appears to be the odd man out as his now-former team moves on without him.
Boutte finishes his career in New England just behind Douglas in receiving yards, with Douglas currently at 1,629 yards and 6 touchdowns off of 146 receptions, while Boutte has 1,159 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns on 78 receptions. He’s also averaged 14.9 yards per catch over his three professional seasons.
The former LSU receiver was originally drafted by the Patriots back in 2023 in the sixth round (187th overall).
Support Us: We're Currently Invisible in Google News
We need your help. A recent algorithm change has destoyed our traffic, and we need a quick moment of your time.
If you enjoy our content, please help us gain visiblity in Google's algorithm by adding us as a preferred source on Google News.
Click the button below and check the box next to "PatsFans.com"
Add as a preferred source on Google News
Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
More Patriots News Headlines:
Patriots Finally Trade Boutte, Get a Player, Draft Pick in Deal with Houston
By: Ian LoguePatriots trade Kayshon Boutte to Houston for a 2028 seventh-round pick and safety Jalen Reed, as new additions left no room for the receiver.
Monday Patriots Notebook 8/24: Patriots Sign New Punter, Gonzalez Returns to Practice
By: Ian LoguePatriots sign punter Matt Haack following Bryce Baringer's injury, with Christian Gonzalez back at practice and contract talks continuing.
Vrabel Sheds Light on Morton’s Punting Appearance, Reveals New Punter is Incoming
By: Ian LogueRevealing Bryce Baringer's injury, Mike Vrabel confirms the Patriots are signing a new punter after Behren Morton's emergency appearance.
TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel’s Press Conference 8/24
By: Ian LogueHere's the full transcript of what New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had to say during his press conference on Monday, August 24, 2026.
TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show 8/24
By: Ian LogueHere's the full transcript of what New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had to say during his Monday appearance on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show…
