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STANFORD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 04: Kayshon Boutte #9 of the New England Patriots participates in drills during practice prior to Super Bowl LX at Stanford Stadium on February 04, 2026 in Stanford, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots’ trade of Kayshon Boutte landed hard with one of the teammates who entered the NFL alongside him.
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez reacted to Boutte’s move to the Houston Texans with a short Instagram message Monday, Aug. 24, offering support before making it clear he was surprised to see the wide receiver go.
Gonzalez captioned an Instagram Story, per New England Sports Fellow on X, with “Damnnnn 🤦🏽♂️.”
Gonzalez and Boutte arrived in New England in the same 2023 draft class.
The former Oregon standout was the Patriots’ first-round pick that spring, while Boutte lasted until the sixth round before developing into one of the offense’s more dangerous downfield options.
Gonzalez Sends Message to Boutte After Trade
The Patriots agreed to send Boutte to Houston in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick, NFL.com reported. The deal came after months of uncertainty surrounding Boutte’s standing in a receiver room that changed during the offseason.
Boutte also gave teammates an abundance of reason to believe he could help an offense led by Drake Maye. He averaged 16.7 yards per reception in 2025, finishing with 551 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and was a regular vertical threat during training camp.
His role became harder to project after the Patriots added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Both veterans gave New England certified options on the perimeter, as Boutte entered the final year of his rookie contract with a reduced target share looming.
New England is approaching final roster decisions with its offense structured around Maye and his new group of pass catchers.
Boutte had shown he could produce in meaningful games, including during the Patriots’ postseason run last winter, but the offseason additions altered the outlook.
Fueling trade speculation throughout the offseason, Boston.com reported that MassLive’s Karen Guregian had previously said Boutte requested a trade in April, and the receiver repeatedly avoided making his future the focus once camp began.
Patriots Trade Ends Months of Boutte Uncertainty
Boutte spent much of August saying he could only control his own approach.
Boston.com reported last week that Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing praised Boutte for continuing to show up professionally despite the unpredictability around him.
Downing called Boutte “an absolute joy to coach” and said the way the receiver handled the situation was an example he would carry forward in his coaching career.
That professionalism made Monday’s deal feel more like the conclusion of a long-running situation than an abrupt change in direction.
Houston had also developed a intense need at wide receiver after Jayden Higgins suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Boutte now has an opportunity for more snaps with the Texans, and New England adds Reed to its secondary in addition to collecting a future draft asset.
But the trade struck deeper for Gonzalez since the transaction meant saying goodbye to a teammate from the same Patriots draft class after three seasons together.
His message was brief, but it captured both sides of the moment.
All things considered, Boutte insisted he would handle whatever came next, and he now has his answer.
The Patriots do, too.
Their receiver room moves forward with Brown and Doubs at the front of the group, and Boutte gets the fresh start that had been discussed for months.
Duncan Day is a sports contributor for Heavy. He has covered NFL, NBA, hockey and soccer for various outlets, including NBC Sports, Boston.com, USA TODAY, Forbes, Bleacher Report, The Dallas Morning News and more. More about Duncan Day
