Two of the league’s top cornerbacks have been the subject of trade rumors this offseason, but it sounds like both players will be staying put for 2017. The Patriots are unlikely to move Malcolm Butler and the Rams are unlikely to trade Trumaine Johnson, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). 
[RELATED: Saints Cooling On Malcolm Butler Pursuit]
The Saints and Butler have agreed to terms on multi-year deal in the event that a trade can be completed, but the two teams are too far apart on compensation to get a trade done. Realistically, any trade would have to come together before this week’s draft since the Patriots do not want to deal the cornerback for 2018 draft compensation. The Saints, meanwhile, are very high on the talent in this year’s class and want to hold on to their first three picks. The clock is ticking and things have not progressed enough over the last six weeks for a deal to come together, so it sounds like the Butler drama will be put on hold until March of next year.
The Rams, meanwhile, have pivoted away from trade talks and are now mulling the possibility of an extension for Johnson. Johnson, 27, is now scheduled to earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $16.742MM after being hit with a second consecutive franchise tender. An extension would allow Los Angeles to smooth out that cap hit over the next few years. The Rams were discussing Johnson with “multiple teams” when free agency started, but the Browns are the only club to really get linked to him.
No they are not!
It sounds like Pats are just looking for a sweetener to go along with the 32nd pick in the first round, so I’m surprised the Saints aren’t budging considering they’ve already agreed on terms with Butler.
The Patriots only make deals in which they’ve bent the other team over. They don’t do fair trades. And they don’t do ones where they win it a little bit. The Saints aren’t taking it again, after the Cooks trade.