New England sent wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to Houston on Monday for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick, clearing a crowded receiver room days before the 53-man roster deadline.
A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs had deepened the Patriots' receiving corps, and Boutte was entering the final year of his rookie deal, making a split increasingly likely.
Houston gains a 24-year-old deep threat after losing 2025 second-round receiver Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL; Boutte posted 33 catches, 551 yards and six touchdowns last season.
Reed, 23, gives New England secondary depth behind Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson after appearing in seven games for the Texans in 2025, mostly on special teams.