Malcolm

Butler

After nine seasons in the NFL, Butler announced his retirement, saying “I’m satisfied with my career.” Originally an undrafted free agent, Butler joined the Patriots in 2014, spending four seasons with them. He won two Super Bowls, was named to a Pro Bowl in 2015, and earned second team All-Pro honors in 2016. Butler spent three seasons with the Titans before spending brief offseason with the Cardinals in 2021 and Patriots again in 2022. He is best known for infamously intercepting Seahawks QB Russell Wilson at the one-yard line in Super Bowl XLIX to seal the victory for the Patriots. Butler will go down in Patriots history for that win, along with his four productive seasons of play in New England.

Butler is a former Pro Bowler who is best known for his Super Bowl-winning interception off Russell Wilson in Super Bowl XLIX. The 33-year-old vet hasn’t played an NFL snap since 2020 and was released by the Patriots last August with an injury settlement. It will be interesting to see if the former Pro Bowler is able to latch on with the Falcons before the start of the season.

There was handwringing about the Patriots’ lack of cornerback depth when Butler landed on injured reserve with an undisclosed issue nine days ago, but this is a strong indication he was already no longer in their plans. The 32-year-old is now a free agent who has appeared in just 25 games since the end of the 2018 season, zero of which came last year. Butler could be at the end of the line after his semi-retirement in 2021.

That will end the season for each of them -- at least in a Patriots uniform. Butler was attempting a comeback after spending 2021 out of football, and he looked like a frontrunner for the job in OTAs but eventually lost time to Terrance Mitchell and Jack Jones. Williams had played minimal snaps in his first three seasons and showed up in run defense with his big 6-foot-4 frame, but hadn’t posted a PFF coverage grade above 61.6 since 2019.

New England would play Jones inside. The Patriots also have Jalen Mills, Terrance Mitchell, Shaun Wade, and rookie Jack Jones as candidates for an outside corner role. Howe writes about Butler “his veteran presence carries weight.” Butler hasn’t played since 2020 and was oft-targeted then. It’s fair to wonder if he’d be a target for opposing offenses.

It’s reportedly worth “up to” $9 million. The Patriots have brought in a pair of corners this year in Terrance Mitchell and Butler to try to replace J.C. Jackson. Jonathan Jones and Jalen Mills are the incumbents and Joejuan Williams is probably the corner that Mitchell and Butler could work to replace. Butler didn’t play last year, but the two-year deal is probably a good sign for his chances of getting playing time for the Patriots in 2022.

Butler, 32, has also visited the Texans over the last week-plus. After taking the year away from football last season, Butler is ready to make a comeback. He, of course, spent the first four years of his career in New England before going to Tennessee for three.

Butler is a key talking point in many of Jack Easterby’s sermons, so the Texans were seen as a likely landing spot for Butler in the 2021 offseason. Instead, he signed with the Cardinals and sat out the 2021 season due to a personal matter. It should surprise nobody that the Texans remained interested. Butler was picked on in Tennessee, but still doesn’t have a single season on his resume below a 64.2 PFF coverage grade. He’d still be a bit of a gamble in his age-32 season coming off a lost year.

Butler sat out the 2021 season due to a personal matter. The Cardinals this week released him from the reserve/retired list, prompting speculation he might be done in the NFL. Butler, who will be 32 in March, appeared in all 16 games for the Titans in 2020, making 100 tackles, defending 14 passes, and recording four interceptions. He should see interest from several teams in the coming months.

Dealing a personal matter, Butler stepped away from the Cardinals late last August. This procedural move allows him to pursue a new home for 2022. NFL Network’s Mike Giardi reports Butler has been “working out diligently,” and will indeed make a comeback this year. 13 days shy of his 32nd birthday, Butler’s phone will not be ringing off the hook after he was cut by the Titans last March.