The New England Patriots traded wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans for a 2028 seventh-round pick and safety Jaylen Reed, league sources told The Athletic on Monday.Why they made the moveTexans wide receiver Jayden Higgins tore his ACL last week during a joint practice session with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Houston didn’t have a ready-made replacement on the roster to serve as the No. 2 behind Nico Collins. While it’d be overly presumptuous to think Boutte can seamlessly replace Higgins’ production, he can certainly help stem the tide until Tank Dell is healthy enough to return from the major leg injury he suffered in 2024.Meanwhile, the Patriots had a logjam at receiver following the offseason additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Boutte was the most logical trade candidate at receiver because of his somewhat vocal desire for a new contract as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. And as coach Mike Vrabel not-so-subtly pointed out Saturday night, the Patriots need improved depth, with Reed slotting in somewhere behind starting safeties Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson.The Patriots also netted a draft pick in 2028, and securing value for a player they were unlikely to count on or keep beyond this season makes some sense.Can Houston Texans 'generational' defense carry them to Super Bowl?Robert MaysTexans grade: B+Collins has been an all-world receiver when healthy, but the Texans were extremely excited about Higgins’ potential to break out this season. They expected the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Higgins, who tallied 41 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie last year, to be a major factor on their offense, as he would give quarterback C.J. Stroud a reliable big-bodied No. 2 target opposite Collins.