Malcolm Butler's star, which shined so brightly in New England after Super Bowl 49, began to dim -- or so it seemed -- when he went through several contract squabbles with them in subsequent years. It was widely assumed last season that Butler was a lame duck who would bolt via free agency as soon as he became ineligible, and his to-this-day unexplained benching in Super Bowl 52 merely confirmed that both sides clearly believed they had no future together.
But maybe not.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Patriots were in fact interesting in re-signing Butler "at the right price" last offseason. Rapoport, citing sources, says the Pats . . .
informed Butler's agent Derek Simpson to reach out to them if he didn't get an offer to his liking. Already paying top corner Stephon Gilmore, the Pats perhaps could have paid Butler around $10 million a year.
Butler, in fact, did get an offer to his liking: Five years, $61.25 million from the Titans, after also drawing interest from the Texans and Bears. His play, up-and-down in his final go-round in New England, has been more down than up so far this year, leading to widespread relief that Butler turned down a nearly identical contract from the Patriots after the 2016 season (six years, $66 million).
But just because they him go appearently doesn't mean they wouldn't have taken him back.
At the right price, at least.
New England Patriots
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