Malcolm Butler - Pro Football Rumors

Malcolm Butler Seeking New Contract

May 29th, 2016 at 9:32am CST by Rory Parks

Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler is one of 17 New England players that did not participate in this week’s voluntary OTAs, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com suggests that Butler’s absence is contract-related. Per Reiss, Butler has told teammates and friends he plans to push for an adjustment to his contract before the 2016 season, as he is slated to earn just $600K this year before being eligible for restricted free agency prior to the 2017 campaign. Butler’s agent, Derek Simpson, did not return Reiss’ calls or emails seeking comment.

However, because of his low price tag this year, and the fact that New England can probably control him fairly inexpensively for 2017 with a RFA tender, the team holds the leverage at the moment. Plus, as Reiss points out, linebackers Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower are eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2016 season, and the Patriots may view new deals for them as more of a priority for the time being.

All three players, though, are deserving of lucrative extensions, and the dilemma that their contract status has created is one of the reasons New England traded Chandler Jones–who is also set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end–earlier this year. Butler’s absence from OTAs is the one way he can signal to the club that he is unhappy with his present deal, but it may not result in a new contract for him this season. If he performs in 2016 the way he performed in 2015, though, he will get his big payday sooner rather than later.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

AFC East Notes: Gilmore, Butler, Ajayi, Bills

May 22nd, 2016 at 6:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore will not attend the club’s OTA sessions as he angles for a new contract, sources tell Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News. General manager Doug Whaley said in February that a Gilmore extension was a “priority,” and he reiterated earlier this month that the Bills’ long-term discussions with Gilmore (and several other players) would become more important now that the draft has passed. As Dunne details, Gilmore — who could use Josh Norman, Janoris Jenkins, and Darrelle Revis as comparables in talks — shouldn’t be considered a “holdout” unless he sits out mandatory camp activities in mid-June.

Here’s more from Buffalo and the rest of the AFC East…

“I’m not going to discuss that right now,” Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler said of his contract status while appearing on WEEI yesterday. “Whenever the time comes, it comes. I’m a football player. I’m not a GM.” Butler, 26, will play out his rookie deal in 2016 before becoming a restricted free agent following the 2017 campaign, so New England has some time before it truly needs to make a decision on its defensive back. Still, the Chandler Jones trade was thought to be made with an eye towards freeing up future cap space in order to retain Butler, Dont’a Hightower, and Jamie Collins, so it would be an upset if the Patriots and Butler didn’t come to an agreement at some point.
Speaking on WQAM in Miami, Dolphins head coach Adam Gase said that second-year running back Jay Ajayi is the man to beat in the club’s backfield rotation. “He’s been one of those guys he’s been here every day,” Gase said of Ajayi, according to Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel. “The rest of that group has done a good job to try and keep up with him, but obviously he’s kind of separated himself from that group as far as the consistency of what he does day in and day out.” Ajayi is part of a contingent, including Damien Williams, Daniel Thomas, rookie Kenyan Drake, and others, that will try to replace Lamar Miller, who left for the Texans in free agency.
One major area of weakness for the Bills is the right side of their offensive line, where John Miller is projected to play at guard while a cavalcade of players — including Cyrus Kouandjio, Seantrel Henderson, and Jordan Mills — is expected to compete for time. Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News analyzes the club’s offensive line as a whole, opining that Kouandjio, in particular, could be looking at his final opportunity to hold his roster spot. Louis Vasquez, Will Beatty, and Ryan Wendell are a few of the best offensive lineman remaining on the open market where the Bills to look for an outside addition. Free agent guard Jahri Evans is another option (and has already taken a visit with Buffalo), but a March report indicated that the club would not be signing him.

AFC East Notes: Aponte, Dolphins, Pats, Lewis

January 28th, 2016 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

Although there were some rumblings that longtime Dolphins executive Dawn Aponte would be heading to Detroit to help Lions GM Bob Quinn deal with contracts and the salary cap, Aponte will be staying in Miami, according to Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post and Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter links).

Let’s check in on some more items from out of the AFC East…

The fact that Adam Gase retained nine coaches from the Dolphins‘ old coaching staff doesn’t mean that he had trouble finding better candidates, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. As Salguero explains, many of those coaches drew interest from other teams around the league, so it’s not as if they aren’t highly regarded — special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, for instance, had four interview requests, all of which the Dolphins turned down, says Salguero.
While the Patriots will have some potential free agents to deal with this offseason, the team’s priority may be to lock up the “big four” defenders who could reach the open market after the 2016 season, says Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. New England has a little over a calendar year to explore extension for cornerback Malcolm Butler, defensive end Chandler Jones, and linebackers Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower. In Reiss’ view, the latter three players could all be in line for deals that exceed $8MM annually — Butler will be a restricted free agent, so he should be relatively affordable for at least one more year beyond 2016.
Running back Dion Lewis, who signed a contract extension with the Patriots in the fall, is currently on track to be recovered from his torn ACL in time to participate in training camp, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

Extra Points: Jets, Saints, Pats, Bucs

December 18th, 2015 at 8:59pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The playoff-contending Jets (8-5) are one of the surprises of the NFL this year after finishing the 2014 campaign 4-12 and undergoing major offseason changes. As ESPN’s John Clayton writes, plenty of credit goes to first-year general manager Mike Maccagnan. The former Texans executive was at the helm of a makeover last winter and spring that saw the Jets bring in rookie head coach Todd Bowles, spend over $179MM on free agents (Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine, Marcus Gilchrist and James Carpenter being the most expensive additions), and acquire two key offensive cogs – quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and receiver Brandon Marshall – for a mere late-round pick apiece.

While Maccagnan’s methods have paid off this season, the organization is cognizant that it has plenty of long-term work to do, per Clayton. The Jets have 10 starters in their 30s, so they need to stockpile youth. In terms of finding a young, high-impact player, Maccagnan’s draft history with the Jets got off to an excellent start last spring with his inaugural selection, first-round defensive end Leonard Williams.

As far as the upcoming offseason goes, Clayton expects the Jets to give raises to Fitzpatrick and running back Chris Ivory, slap the franchise tag on D-line stalwart Muhammad Wilkerson, and free up cap space by releasing Cromartie.

Elsewhere around the league…

As long as either Tom Benson or his wife is in charge of the Saints, Mickey Loomis is likely to remain the team’s general manager, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. Head coach Sean Payton is under contract for two more years, but his status going forward is less clear than Loomis’. Payton could look for another job in the offseason, and Woodbery doesn’t expect Loomis to stand in Payton’s way if he wants to seek work someplace else. However, Woodbery does believe the Loomis-led Saints would require significant compensation from any hypothetical team that tries to hire Payton.
The stellar play of Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler means he’ll cash in eventually, and Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald took a look at how much the 25-year-old could make in the coming seasons. Howe thinks the Pats will give Butler a first-round tender as a restricted free agent after next season, which would cost just under $4MM. Then, as Butler pushes closer to unrestricted free agency in 2018, he could end up with a four-year deal in the $36MM range. He might not get that money in New England, though, as the club has decisions to make on a slew of important players other than Butler in the coming offseasons and won’t be able to retain all of them.
The Buccaneers have drafted a combined one defensive player over the last two years (fourth-round linebacker Kwon Alexander last spring), but that should change in 2016, opines Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Tribune. Stroud looks for the Bucs to upgrade at cornerback and add outside pass-rushing help to a defense that ranks 28th in quarterback rating against (100.5) and has forced just one turnover over Tampa’s last four games.

AFC Notes: Butler, Brady, Mariota, Ravens

June 25th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Luke Adams

It didn’t take long for Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler to come back down to earth this spring. The Patriots cornerback was reportedly benched by Bill Belichick for a handful of the team’s on-field practices during OTAs after he missed the first voluntary session due to a travel issue.

Now, sources tell ESPN.com that the NFL Players Association has filed a complaint against the Patriots on Butler’s behalf, though the complaint was filed without the cornerback’s approval or involvement. Within the complaint, the union cited Article 21 of the CBA, which states that a player’s absence from a voluntary activity can’t result in “adverse consequences affecting his working conditions.”

While we wait to see what comes of the latest case involving the Patriots, let’s round up a few more items from across the AFC….

Marc Ganis, who is the president of SportsCorp consulting firm and is close with many NFL owners, thinks a decision on Tom Brady‘s suspension appeal will come “sooner rather than later,” writes Howard Ulman of The Associated Press. Ganis points out that the league has already been criticized for the way the DeflateGate situation has dragged on, though I think the NFL is unlikely to speed things along now after moving deliberately for months. I don’t expect we’ll hear a ruling on Brady’s appeal until at least mid-July.
Titans GM Ruston Webster recently suggested that it wouldn’t be a big deal if unsigned first-round pick Marcus Mariota missed a few days of training camp, but the QB tells NFL Media’s Tiffany Blackmon that training camp is still a “long ways off,” as Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com details. “It’s the furthest thing from my mind,” Mariota said. “My agent is going to do his job. He’s going to do whatever it takes. It’s a business deal it takes some time. I’m happy to be a part of the organization and I’m sure it will work out.” I’d be very surprised if Mariota still didn’t have a contract in place by the time Tennessee’s training camp begins.
In his latest piece for Over The Cap, Jason Fitzgerald identifies Joe Flacco‘s contract with the Ravens as the least team-friendly quarterback deal in the NFL.
Taking into account the Ravens‘ roster patterns from recent seasons, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun predicts what this year’s squad might look like.

AFC Notes: Bortles, Pats, Bills, Titans

June 10th, 2015 at 9:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Leon Washington is out of the picture in Tennessee, but Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt feels that he can find his next return man in-house between wide receiver Jacoby Ford, running back Antonio Andrews and running back Dexter McCluster. “We’ll look at a lot of different guys,” Whisenhunt said, according to John Glennon of The Tennessean. “We’ll see where Jacoby fits in that mix. Antonio did a nice job for us last year. Dexter has done it before, and we’ll see what other guys (might be in the mix).” Washington, meanwhile, remains a free agent. Here’s more from the AFC..

Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has taken notice of the big money being thrown around for quarterbacks lately and wants a $100MM contract of his own, as Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union writes. Panthers QB Cam Newton inked a five-year, ~$104MM extension lat week and Ryan Tannehill just signed a deal for under $20MM per year. Obviously, Bortles won’t have to think about his next deal for a while but he’s definitely thought about it. “That’s the goal. I try and get better each and every day and why not make a career out of this, not a job? I want to be here long term and do as much as I can to make this team better and have a blast doing it,” Bortles said.

Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler missed the team’s first OTA practice because he a missed flight due to weather issues and he was held out of practice for three weeks as a result, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald writes. Meanwhile, Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that the NFLPA is looking into the Butler situation since the CBA prohibits teams from punishing players for missing voluntary workouts.

Bills coach Rex Ryan says that he’s not ready to declare a winner or even a leader in the quarterback race between EJ Manuel, Matt Cassel and Tyrod Taylor, as Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News writes. As we heard earlier this offseason, Manuel might not have a spot on the team if he doesn’t come away with the starting gig.

AFC Notes: Pats, Gregory, Bolts, Steelers, Jets

April 10th, 2015 at 9:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler went from a little-known name to a Super Bowl hero when his late-game interception of the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson helped New England earn its fourth championship in February. Now, with the departure of star corner Darrelle Revis, Butler will have a chance to make a full-season impact in 2015. One of Butler’s teammates, linebacker Chandler Jones, believes he’s up to the task.

“I know you guys only heard of Malcolm Butler during the whole Super Bowl thing and that big play, but Malcolm has been making plays for us the whole season in practice, and he’s been getting good looks for us,” Jones said, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “So I’m excited for him to step up as one of the impact players as well.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory will visit the Chargers on Saturday, and Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the team has to weigh the risk and reward of drafting the 22-year-old. Gregory is already in the NFL’s substance-abuse program for a failed drug test at the combine, but he is worth the Chargers’ first-round pick (17th overall) based on talent alone. Gregory says his past issues are behind him and he is “focused” on his dream to play in the NFL. The Chargers will have an opportunity to gauge his sincerity this weekend.
Gregory will visit the Steelers next week, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
The Jets will visit with Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty early next week, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Petty could be a target for the Jets in the second round (37th overall).
In the unlikely event Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers hits the trading block, Bills general manager Doug Whaley will do everything in his power to land the five-time Pro Bowler, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (Twitter link).

AFC Links: Manning, Ngata, Hughes, Incognito

February 6th, 2015 at 10:54pm CST by Rob DiRe

Even with a coaching change and big decisions to make on Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas, the Broncos’ offseason will more or less be about whether or not Peyton Manning returns in 2015.

If Tony Dungy is correct, Manning will be back next year, according to the Associated Press on IndyStar.com.

“I was with him last week and he didn’t give me any indication one way or another, but he certainly didn’t say anything to me that led me to believe he wouldn’t be playing,” said Dungy. “My gut feeling is that he’ll be back unless he really has a health-related problem. He enjoys the team. He enjoys his teammates. I think he really wants to come back and play well and not let that be the last game of his career.”

Here are some more links from around the AFC:

The Ravens have asked star defensive tackle Haloti Ngata to restructure his contract in the past, but for the first time they have leverage to make such a request this offseason, writes Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. Ngata is owed $8.5MM in base salary and will count for $16MM against the cap. Considering the Ravens need to free up money for free agency, the declining Ngata could have to look for a new team if he refuses to restructure his deal, and coming off a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, the team holds all the cards.
The top priority for the Bills this winter should be figuring out a way to bring back Jerry Hughes, who has developed into one of the league’s most productive pass rushers, writes Jason Fitzgerald in his preview of Buffalo’s offseason at OverTheCap.com.
The Bills will host Richie Incognito for an official visit and physical on Saturday, reports James Walker of ESPN (via Twitter). Incognito has not played since being suspended as part of the bulling investigation with the Dolphins. The team needs help at guard, with Erik Pears and Kraig Urbik unlikely to return to the team, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). The meeting may be merely a formality, as the team is expected to sign Incognito should he pass his physical, according to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (via Twitter).
Cornerback Curtis Brown, a former Steelers third-round pick, will have a workout with the Jets on Tuesday, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
Malcolm Butler may be a Super Bowl hero, but the undrafted Patriots cornerback isn’t going to get hung up on one play. He is already concerned with continuing to improve and become a fixture in the NFL, writes Tom Curran of CSNNE.com. “I’m going to probably enjoy this moment, I’ll never forget it,” said Butler. “Probably for a couple more days or whatever, however it dies down. Have a little time to relax and then get back to work and just try to prove my point that this one play doesn’t [define] me. I don’t want to be known as a great player for one play, so I’ve got more to prove. So, I’ll have a little relax time and get back to work.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Eagles, Patriots Notes: Garoppolo, DBs, Curry

August 16th, 2014 at 9:10am CST by Matt Feminis

The preseason penalty flag epidemic is affecting (Read: annoying) everyone who chooses to consume exhibition games for any extended period of time, and last night’s Eagles-Patriots game was borderline unbearable (which is saying something for a preseason game). Twenty-eight penalties were called, prompting Ben Volin of the Boston Globe to call it a “travesty.”

Here’s some more notes from the Eagles and Patriots:

In a matter of eight days, Patriots rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has staked his claim to the backup job, writes Jeff Howe in the Boston Herald. Howe also notes “Jordan Devey also started for the second straight week, adding right guard to his resume last night after opening at left guard against the Redskins. Devey can also play center, so his versatility has been a valued asset in camp.” Devey went undrafted out of Memphis last year before spending the season on the practice squad.
Patriots cornerbacks Kyle Arrington and Logan Ryan are seeing time at safety, reports NESN’s Doug Kyed.
Experimenting and taking advantage of the secondary’s interchangeable parts has been made possible by the encouraging play of Malcolm Butler, who started opposite Darrelle Revis, notes Boston.com’s Erik Frenz. An undrafted free agent out of West Alabama, Butler has gone from bubble player to strong roster candidate.
Eagles cornerback Curtis Marsh had a rough night, according to NJ.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks: “Marsh has been having a good camp, but in his moment to play against NFL competition, he showed he didn’t belong.”
Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham are two of the Eagles’ best pass rushers, but they don’t fit the defensive scheme, says CSN Philly’s Reuben Frank, who calls for Curry to be traded to a 4-3 team. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus’ Steve Palazzolo feels similarly about Graham, as evidenced by a couple tweets.

Patriots Sign Two Picks, Three UDFAs

May 19th, 2014 at 6:34pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Patriots have made a handful of moves, most notably signing two more of their draft picks, writes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (via Twitter). They selected a pair of interior offensive lineman from the Sunshine State in the draft, and today have officially signed center Bryan Stork of Florida State and guard Jon Halapio of Florida. Stork was a fourth-round pick coming off his national championship season, and Halapio was a sixth-rounder.

These signings leave only two Patriots’ draft picks without contracts, the team’s top two picks Dominique Easley of Florida and Jimmy Garoppolo of Eastern Illinois. However, there is no reason to worry, as Jeff Howe expects both players to sign soon (via Twitter).

Howe also reports that the team has signed three undrafted rookie free agents, cornerback Malcolm Butler of West Alabama, receiver Derrick Johnson of Maine, and linebacker Taylor McCuller of West Texas A&M (via Twitter).