Mike Vrabel makes telling admission in addressing Kayshon Boutte trade

Sophie Weller, Patriots WireFri, August 28, 2026 at 4:10 AM UTC

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Had Kayshon Boutte not been traded to the Houston Texans earlier this week, it was unlikely the receiver would have been active for the first game of the regular season.

At least, that's what Mike Vrabel alluded to when speaking with reporters after Thursday's 37-13 preseason loss to the Cleveland Browns, which marked the first time he held a press conference since the trade was announced.

Despite his comments about the team lacking depth, he made sure to highlight that receiver was not a position he included in that group.

“That was one place where we do have some depth, and I think for all parties involved, that was probably the best thing,” Vrabel said. “Without injuries, Kayshon probably would have been inactive. Unfortunately, it just, it’s kind of the way it was. It’s just with him not playing special teams.

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“And I tried to thank Kayshon as many times I could. I texted him again today. It’s just his maturity, his growth, his ability to put into words last year and share his own personal struggle, but also the growth that he made from that. That’s positively going to affect a lot of people. And I know that that wasn’t easy for him to do, and I tell him all the time about how much I respect him for being able to do that.”

Following the acquisition of A.J. Brown at the beginning of June, it seemed like the writing was on the wall for Boutte. He has continued to improve each season, but the team also has Romeo Doubs and DeMario Douglas, as well as Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism. It made for a crowded receiver room, and as Vrabel said, his lack of special teams contributions made him the odd man out.

The Patriots traded Boutte to the Houston Texans in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick. In his thank-you to New England on Instagram, Boutte said the Patriots did right by him, as he can now compete for a starting role in Houston's offense with wide receiver Jayden Higgins out for the year with a torn ACL.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Mike Vrabel makes telling admission in addressing Kayshon Boutte trade

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