Malcolm Butler is less than thrilled about the Patriots’ decision to give a big money contract to fellow cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Now, as he sits in restricted free agency limbo, he is willing to jump at a fair market offer sheet, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. 
As an RFA, Butler can sign an offer sheet with another team until April 21, giving the Patriots five days to match. If the Patriots decline to match, they’ll acquire the signing club’s 2017 first round pick. It’s an outcome the Patriots would reportedly be okay with and that makes sense given the depth of this year’s cornerback class.
Last year, the Pats offered Butler an extension worth $6-7MM per season, a source tells Howe. That would have given Butler a big pay bump, but it was still below his market value and didn’t bring him close to the top-10 CB salary he was seeking. In 2016, Aqib Talib and Sean Smith were tied for the 10th highest average annual value amongst cornerbacks at $9.5MM/year. The Patriots also told Butler they wouldn’t give that kind of money to any cornerback. After Gilmore got a five-year, $65MM deal, Butler is peeved at the Patriots’ front office.
Despite Butler’s hurt feelings, the source tells Howe that he understands he could still remain with the Patriots. He has no plans to hold out if he remains with the club under the terms of the $3.91MM tender.
Lock this man up Bill, he’s earned it. Done everything the right way
Chicago bears need to monitor this
I hope the bears do sign him. The Pats would looooove that 1st rounder from them!
He said monitor. Not get drunk and make a phone call…
Even if the Patriots lose him it won’t effect them. They’ll go find someone off the streets and turn him into a star like always
Packers please throw a 5yr/50MM contract his way..we need CB’s and I personally think it’s worth losing the 28th overall pick. Plus I don’t think the Patriots would match 10MM per year
They’ll take that pick
I think so too. Plus the Packers (if they are smart) would take a CB in the first round anyways. Why not just pay Butler and add a proven guy in the secondary
Maybe Marcellus Bennett can help recruit him to Green Bay as well. It makes sense from the Packers perspective
I think the Pats would pay $10mm. They’re just letting his market develop. His value is higher on the Patriots than it would be with another team.
I’d love for a #11-18 team to take Butler away though, be nice to win a SB and have that high of a pick, along w/ the pick for JimmyG when he’s traded.
Would the Titans lose the 5th or 18th. I would do it for the 18th.
I would think 18 because that’s their pick
As a Lions fan, pairing Malcom with Slay would finally give them a dynamic set of corners. Please trade him for the 21st pick.
Falcons should sign him to an offer sheet and then trade him to another team if the Patriots don’t match. New England would get #31 and the Falcons could trade him for a higher 1st round pick.
Why wouldn’t that 3rd team just sign him to an offer sheet then? Why would they give up potentially more and be stuck with a contract the falcons designed instead of their own? Makes no sense
To keep NE from getting a higher 1st round pick. Falcons work with the 3rd team on the contract, sign him and then trade him later. Limits NE to only getting the #31 and allows the Falcons to move up with whatever team they were working with in signing Butler.
Patriots personify big bad corporate business. Where employees are worthless unless you’re the CEO (Bill) and VP (Brady).
Would make sense for the Packers they have some cap space – 23 M less rookies.
Too bad the Cowboys don’t have any cap space at the moment. They need a corner bad. But they only have ~7.3 after Free’s retirement less rookies. Unless the pull the trigger on a restructure for Frederick, Smith, and/or Dez’s deals.
Or a corner (Gilmore highest paid) or safety (McCourty highest paid at time of signing) they have also set the market on DT Linebackers LT and others over last several years. Nice try though