After a year away, Malcolm Butler is mulling a return to the NFL, according to multiple reports Thursday.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported the Arizona Cardinals released Butler from their reserve/retired list, freeing him to sign with any team. The veteran cornerback signed with the Cardinals last March but retired less than two weeks before their season opener.
Mike Giardi, also of NFL Media, reported Butler “has been working out diligently” and is likely to return to the NFL.
Butler, the former Patriots undrafted free agent-turned-Super Bowl XLIX hero, spent his first four pro seasons with New England, then signed a five-year, $61 million contract with the Titans in 2018. The Titans released him after three seasons, and Arizona signed him three weeks later.
After going through training camp and the preseason with Arizona, Butler retired for what were described as personal reasons, forfeiting more than $3 million.
“He’s taking care of some personal stuff, and that’s important,” Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph told reporters at the time. “Obviously, football is a big part of his life, but his life is more important than football.”
The Patriots have a need at cornerback this offseason, but it’s difficult to envision Butler returning after the way his New England tenure ended, with a mystifying benching Super Bowl LII. He turns 32 next month.
