New England Patriots: Predicting Trade Value of Malcolm Butler
By Nick Ziegler
The New England Patriots have a valuable trade asset in Malcolm Butler. However, what is he worth in a possible trade?
One of the most talked about players this offseason for the New England Patriots has been cornerback Malcolm Butler.
Butler was a hero for the Patriots in their Super Bowl win against the Seattle Seahawks. Since then, he has emerged into a very good cornerback. This offseason, Butler is a restricted free agent, which certainly limited him as a free agent.
The Patriots placed a first round tender on him, meaning any team that signed him would have had to give the Patriots their first round pick. Butler recently signed his one-year tender with the Patriots, but that doesn’t mean that he still couldn’t be traded.
Mark Dominik of ESPN.com recently put a value on a few key players that could be traded before or during the draft. Here’s what he had to say about Butler’s value.
"What the Patriots are hoping for: Saints’ No. 11 overall pickWhat the Patriots would settle for: First-rounder in the lower teensThe only way this deal gets done is if the Saints trade down from 11 to somewhere around picks 16-19. That could be a nice middle ground for each team. I don’t think any teams other than the Saints are interested in Butler at the moment. This is certainly a situation to watch on draft night."
The Butler to the Saints trade has been the most talked about, as they appear to be the most interested team in him. However, the 11th overall pick for Butler would be quite the haul for the Patriots.
As mentioned, the Saints could look to move down, gain some more assets, and then make a deal for Butler. For the Patriots, a pick in the Top 20 would be pretty good for Butler if they don’t have him in their long-term plans.
Next: Patriots 7-Round Mock Draft
With the draft less than a week away, we will have to see if Butler is indeed dealt. Since the Patriots have a very good chance to repeat with Butler, they will likely have to be quite impressed by an offer to trade Butler.