The acquisition of A.J. Brown, right, made Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte, left, expendable. (AP photo)

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans acquired wide receiver Kayshon Boutte from the New England Patriots on Monday.

Boutte confirmed the deal on social media before either team announced it. According to multiple reports, Houston sent safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round draft pick to the Patriots.

The move comes after Houston’s No. 2 receiver Jayden Higgins tore an ACL in a joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders Tuesday.

Boutte, a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, had 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns last season. He was in the last year of his rookie deal and had already requested a trade back in May.

The Patriots had a logjam at the position after trading for receiver A.J. Brown in June and signing Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $68 million contract in March. Boutte, a favorite of Patriots QB Drake Maye as an outside receiver, likely wouldn’t have gotten enough targets to up his value going into free agency, and he likely knew it. It seems as if the acquisition of Brown sealed his fate.

The Texans also signed veteran receivers Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard this weekend as they look to fill the void left by Higgins’ injury.

Higgins, who was expected to start alongside star Nico Collins, had 41 receptions for 525 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie last year.

The Patriots ended up getting a player rather than the rumored fourth round pick, and that may work out. Reed had two tackles in the Texans playoff loss at Gillette Stadium last January, and the Patriots needed safety depth with Craig Woodson nursing an injury.

(Telegraph Staff Writer Tom King contributed to this report.)