Patriots Rumors: Malcolm Butler is unlikely to be traded

Recent New England Patriots rumors have been about what will happen with cornerback Malcolm Butler prior to the NFL Draft.

With the NFL Draft just a few days away, there have been plenty of New England Patriots rumors about what will happen with two key pieces. Both cornerback Malcolm Butler and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo have a lot of value, but neither has been traded so far.

Of the two, trading Butler appeared to be the more likely of the two scenarios. The New Orleans Saints have expressed a lot of interest in Butler, but trading for him is a bit tricky. In addition to giving Butler a new contract, the Saints would also then have to give the Patriots a draft pick.

As the NFL Draft approaching, a deal between the Saints and Patriots is unlikely according to Peter King of MMQB.com. Here’s what King had to say about the situation.

"The Saints (picking 11, 32, 42, 76, 103 in the first three rounds) are still interested in Butler, but someone familiar with their thinking believes they are leaning toward keeping their first three picks. The Saints believe that their board between 25 and 75 has a slew of players capable of contributing immediately, with grades close to each other, and the thought of dealing one or more picks for Butler, then paying him a huge contract, is less attractive than it once seemed."

For the Patriots, they certainly don’t have to trade Butler if the compensation in return isn’t something that they like. Having Butler on the team in 2017 will give them a great defense, as he can play alongside Stephon Gilmore.

However, it is unlikely that Butler would return to New England following the 2017 season after the contract dispute. With his future with the team in doubt past 2017, the Patriots might have to consider taking a cornerback with one of their two third-round picks.

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Just because a trade seems unlikely now, that can all change with one phone call. Even though they don’t have a pick in the first round, it will be interesting to see if the Patriots make a big splash on draft day.