New Houston Texans wide receiver Kayshon Boutte sent a farewell message to his old fanbase with the New England Patriots, and included a hello to his current one. It followed a farewell he sent to a smaller group on his Discord server.
“Pats nation it been real [red heart emoji],” Boutte posted on August 24, adding, “Houston here we come [“100” emoji].”
“Pats nation it been real❤️
Houston here we come💯”
Good luck, @KayshonBoutte1!
He reiterated those thoughts in a much more extensive post on Instagram.
Texans’ Kayshon Boutte Sends Heartfelt Goodbye to Patriots
GettyKayshon Boutte sent a strong message to the Patriots and officially said hello to the Texans.
“New England, it’s hard to put into words what these last few years have meant to me. Being selected with the 187th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots was a dream come true. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed into an organization built on hard work, accountability, and a standard of excellence,” Boutte posted on Instagram on August 26, thanking ownership and coaches alike.
“Patriots Nation, thank you for embracing me from day one. Your support through every high and low never went unnoticed, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to wear the Flying Elvis on my helmet. I’ll always look back on my time in New England with nothing but gratitude and respect. Once a Patriot, always grateful [red heart emoji].”
Boutte thanked the Patriots for “doing right by” him and honoring his trade request, noting that he “truly wanted to be a part of” Texans and signing off with, “I’m incredibly excited for what’s ahead with the Houston Texans [horns hand sign emoji].”
He also posted on his IG story, saying, “New England it’s been a pleasure” and “#9out.”
The Patriots posted in the comments of Boutte’s post, saying, “Thank you Boot Dude [saluting emoji].
Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams posted, “Rockin everywhere [exclamation point emoji],” in reference to a popular song from artist Bubba Sparxxx. Pats O-lineman Will Campbell posted a red heart emoji.
Insider Notes Texans’ Plan for New Weapon
GettyThe Texans will allow Boutte to get acclimated to his new environment.
NFL on Prime’s James Palmer reported, “Houston is being very diligent” with Boutte on X on August 26, noting that, “adjusting to the heat is actually an important part.”
“They go and make the trade for Kayshon Boutte, which I think is an outstanding trade,” Palmer said in an accompanying video. “Why do I think this is a good move? It’s kind of a similar player [to Jayden Higgins]. He’s a bigger player, he can be a downfield threat just the way Higgins could be. He was a guy that I think was really the deep threat for New England last year was really, really good in types of those instances.
Palmer continued “He had a really good start to training camp talking to people up there. He has handled this situation extremely well. When I say this situation, Kayshon Boutte knew that his snaps were going to go down. He only played 55% of the snaps, I believe it was, last year.”
The Patriots traded for A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs this offseason.
Boutte is 5-foot-11, so not quite the big body that the 6-foot-4 Higgins brought. But his downfield prowess speaks for itself.
“He knew his days in New England were numbered,” Palmer said. “Now he has an opportunity to come down there and play for Nick Caley, who spent a lot of time in New England, who spent a lot of time with Josh McDaniels. So, there is that connection, a little bit in terms of an understanding of some of the things that Nick does as an offensive mind.
“You go out, you add to the room, and you didn’t give up a whole lot, and you have him for a year, in essence. And Boutte can go out, make himself some money, and you–hopefully–you can have Jayden Higgins back the next year.”
Patriots GM Eliot Wolf, Texans HC DeMeco Ryans React to Trade
GettyEliot Wolf and DeMeco Ryans offered telling thougts about the Kayshon Boutte trade.
Boutte’s trade has come with plenty of commentary, including from Patriots general manager Eliot Wolf. Wolf spoke candidly about both sides of the deal that sent former Texans safety Jaylen Reed to the AFC East.
Boutte is in the final year of his rookie contract, and undoubtedly in a prove-it situation with the Texans. Houston surrendered a 2028 seventh-round pick in addition to Reed in the deal.
Wolf does not believe either side feels as though they got the better of the other.
That would appear to be at least somewhat of a slight to Boutte, who has started 23 of the 34 games he has played in so far. Reed, meanwhile, has played in nine total games with three starts, including the postseason.
For his part, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans raved about the new addition. He cited his ability on contested catches and growth throughout his career.
Time will tell who truly won the deal: Boutte, the Texans, or the Patriots.
Texans’ Kayshon Boutte Sends Strong Message to Patriots Nation