Malcolm Butler made a name for himself when he intercepted Russell Wilson's pass in the final moments of Super Bowl 49. He was an undrafted free agent who played collegiate football at the University of West Alabama. He was picked by the New England Patriots in May 2014 and began the season as the fifth string cornerback on the Patriots' depth chart. The most important play of his career happened with a minute left in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl 49. In the crucial moment of the game, he intercepted Russell Wilson's pass from the one-yard line and prevented Seattle from taking the lead and winning the game.
He has been a starting cornerback for the Patriots over the last two years and has performed very well for the current Super Bowl champions.
Butler could be traded
In the offseason, Butler was looking for an extension of his current contract but failed to make a deal with the Patriots. It was reported that Butler had made a four-year deal worth more than $50 million with the New Orleans Saints, but the Patriots and the Saints didn't agree on a trade. He will get paid $3.9 million for this season by the Patriots. This hasn't been a great season for Butler, as he was replaced in the starting lineup against the Saints by Eric Rowe. The relationship between the Pats and Butler isn't ideal and that could mean that Butler will be traded.
Bill Belichick likes to send his players a message by trading a star player who isn't good for the team and he is isn't afraid to make a big move. The Patriots' defense has been playing very poorly in the first two weeks of the 2017 NFL season and the Patriots could be looking to add some new players to their defensive unit.
Philadelphia Eagles could be an option for Malcolm Butler
Malcolm Butler will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2017 NFL season, so it is highly possible that the Patriots will trade him this season. According to Albert Breer of the "Monday Morning Quarterback," the Patriots are expected to make Butler available in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline.
Breer believes that the Philadelphia Eagles could potentially offer Mychal Kendricks for Malcolm Butler. Kendricks is in the second year of his four-year, $29 million deal with the Eagles. It makes sense for the Eagles to trade for Butler if they don't plan on playing Sidney Jones this season or if Ronald Darby's dislocated ankle is worse than expected. His acquisition would strengthen their secondary, but losing Mychal Kendricks would significantly affect their linebacker depth. Mychal Kendrick has been tied to trade talks in the past and he could be a big part of the Patriots' defense.
