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Patriots Rumors: Malcolm Butler Not Pleased With Contract Situation

By Nick Ziegler

Dec 18, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) before the game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) before the game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Recent New England Patriots rumors are that cornerback Malcolm Butler is not happy about his current contract situation.

With the offseason underway, there are plenty of Patriots rumors to keep an eye on. Due to the Patriots having a lot of free agents, there are plenty of rumors floating around about whether or not they will stay or go.

One of the key free agents for the Patriots this offseason is cornerback Malcolm Butler. In the Super Bowl win against the Seattle Seahawks, Butler made a name for himself with the interception on Russell Wilson near the goal line.

Since then, Butler has emerged as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Unfortunately for Butler, he has yet to be paid like it. Last season, Butler made about $600,000, which is beyond a bargain for a player of his caliber. According to Michael Giardi, Butler hasn’t been happy about his contract situation.

Unlike some free agents on the Patriots, Butler is restricted. The Patriots have a few different options that they can use this offseason in order to keep Butler. The option that makes the most sense for Butler would be to tender him at the first round level.

If the Patriots do this, they would likely scare teams away from trying to sign Butler, as they would not only have to give him a big contract, but they would also have to give the Patriots a first round pick. Also, this would allow the Patriots to keep Butler at about $4 million for next season. This is certainly a pay raise for Butler, but it would also be a win for the Patriots.

With players like Dont’a Hightower, Logan Ryan, and Alan Branch as free agents, the Patriots are going to need to be careful with how they spend their money. They will not be using the franchise tag on any free agent this offseason, as they will need all the money they can to re-sign free agents.

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For Butler, he will certainly be getting paid more next season. It’s just a question of whether or not it will be in New England.

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