Malcolm Butler got absolutely torched during Wednesday’s first joint practice with the New Orleans Saints. That didn’t become a trend, though.
The New England Patriots cornerback shined during Thursday’s session in West Virginia and shut down one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. Most notably, Butler knocked away a sure touchdown pass from Drew Bress.
We’ve seen Butler prevent a sure touchdown in some big game before, right?
The pass was intended for 6-foot-4 wide receiver Marques Colston in the corner of the end zone, but 5-foot-11 Butler stepped up and deflected the ball, according to the Providence Journal. After the play, Butler celebrated by waving off the TD.
“I just came out with a different mindset,” Butler told Journal reporter Marc Daniels. “You know, when you have a bad day, you’re going to come out the next day fired up and ready to go. Your mistakes can make you great.”
“No excuses. You win some, you lose some. Just got to keep moving forward,” Butler added when asked about Wednesday’s poor performance. “Came out here (Thursday), tried to redeem myself. You know, even the great ones have bad days. It’s all about learning, moving forward, getting better, competing.”
Butler has impressed Patriots Nation throughout training camp, and his performance Thursday also caught Brees’ eye, two days ahead of their preseason meeting in New Orleans.
“He’s extremely talented. He plays with a lot of confidence,” Brees told reporters. “Obviously, he made that big play. He seems like a guy who plays with a lot of confidence and has a lot of ability. Definitely one of those guys that — it’s a tough matchup for us.”
Butler appears to be New England’s No. 1 cornerback this season, so Patriots fans hope to notice continued growth.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
