Malcolm Butler’s future with the New England Patriots remains uncertain, but the Pro Bowl cornerback now is officially under contract.
Butler signed the first-round tender given to him by the Patriots on Tuesday, which eliminates any chance of another team signing him to a restricted free-agent offer sheet.
While Butler currently is under contract with New England, the team now has the option of dealing the Super Bowl XLIX hero. He’s been tied to trade rumors throughout the offseason, most specifically with the New Orleans Saints.
Butler appears to be unfazed by all of the chatter, though, as he told ESPN’s Josina Anderson on Wednesday.
If Butler stays on with the Pats for the 2017 campaign, the first-round tender would earn him $3.91 million, which would be a major step up from his $600,000 base salary last season.
Not only that, but New England’s secondary would be poised to be one of the stronger units in the NFL with Butler as well as fellow Pro Bowlers Devin McCourty and newcomer Stephon Gilmore.
Thumbnail photo via Michael Madrid/USA TODAY Sports Images
