Malcolm Butler’s NFL comeback has been cut short.
The New England Patriots on Tuesday placed the veteran cornerback on season-ending injured reserve.
Per league rules, players placed on injured reserve before the 53-man roster cutdown are not eligible to return until the following season. The Patriots also moved cornerback Joejuan Williams to IR on Tuesday, meaning both will not play in 2022.
Butler missed each of the Patriots’ first two practices this week, including Tuesday’s joint session with the Carolina Panthers. He had not seen the field since playing in last Thursday’s preseason opener against the New York Giants.
The hero of Super Bowl XLIX, Butler was attempting to return to the NFL after announcing his retirement last August and sitting out the 2021 season. The 32-year-old began his career with the Patriots in 2014, then spent four seasons with the Tennessee Titans from 2018 to 2020.
Williams was a long shot to make the Patriots’ 53-man roster, and Butler was on the bubble, seemingly behind Jalen Mills, Jonathan Jones and potentially Terrance Mitchell in the outside cornerback battle.
The Patriots’ cornerback room now features Mills, Jones, Mitchell, rookies Marcus Jones and Jack Jones, Myles Bryant, Shaun Wade, Justin Bethel and Devin Hafford. Mills and Jonathan Jones have looked like the favorites to start on the perimeter for New England, with Marcus Jones and Bryant battling for the top slot role.
New England also waived backup punter Jake Julien. The Patriots needed to trim their roster to 85 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. They entered the day with 87.
The Patriots will practice with the Panthers again Wednesday before hosting Carolina for a preseason game Friday night at Gillette Stadium.
NESN.com’s coverage of New England Patriots preseason is presented by Cross Insurance, protecting your team since 1954.
