The Patriots signed cornerback Stephon Gilmore earlier today, and subsequent reports implied that the team was considering a trade that would send fellow corner Malcolm Butler to the Saints. As a result of all this news, some assumed that the Patriots were unwilling to meet Butler’s asking price regarding an extension. However, this may not be the case.
Butler’s agent, Derek Simpson, told ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss that the organization hadn’t reached out to their camp in some time.
“The Patriots haven’t approached Malcolm about his contract since last year, and anything that says he keeps asking for the moon is completely false,” Simpson said.
The Patriots applied a first-round tender to the restricted free agent earlier this week. If Butler isn’t traded, the cornerback will presumably be sharing the field with Gilmore next season. It’s the future that gets a bit murky. Butler was rated as Pro Football Focus’ number-seven cornerback this past season, and he finished the campaign with 63 tackles and four interceptions.
As a result, the former Super Bowl hero will be looking to get paid once he hits unrestricted free agency. The cornerback could presumably demand the $14MM annual salary that Gilmore received, but it’s uncertain whether the Patriots will pay that kind of money to two players at the same position.
Sign him for 10 million year
He won’t take $10 million if Gilmore is getting $14 million with $40 million guaranteed. He’s going to want, and deserves the same or more than Gilmore gets.
If the agent’s lips are moving….he is lying. I love Malcolm but he is negotiating from a position of minimal leverage. They tried to force an early renegotiation for max contract……homey don’t play that. BB will take an equal (or very near equal) talent and certainty. Malcolm and agent over played their hand.
If he was smart he would ask for 10 million a year for 3 years that is good enough and let’s the pats still have enough money to sign Hightower and maybe some others so if he wants to win more rings he needs to be smart and realize what he has in front of him and if he were to leave for another team he will realize that not every team can win as constantly as the Pats can and have. If I were a NFL star I wouldn’t leave a team because of money if I had a chance to win multiple rings but there are always those people and I hope the Butler isn’t one of them
Oh so he’s not smart if he leaves for a massive contract somewhere else?
He should have to sacrifice money for the good of the team that makes a ton of money? No, if anything he’s got his rings and now should be what he’s worth.
No way he takes less when a guy he’s better than gets a giant deal. That’s just dumb.
If Cleveland was smart they would trade for him
Give new England the 1st round pick
You wouldn’t leave a team for more money? So you have no clue how the NFL works then. If he rips his knee up in week one next year, he gets nothing. He should sign a contract for the most guaranteed money he can get.
I’ve left a job I liked for more money, and I’m sure many here have done it as well, or at least entertained the thought.
I like Butler, and obviously the Pats think others in the league do too or they would not have put the first round transition tag on him.
He should play out this season and take the huge money next year.