NFL free agency update: Malcolm Butler signs with Tennessee Titans
Malcolm Butler is the rare example of how a Super Bowl benching doesn’t have to affect your future contract value.
Just three years ago, cornerback Malcolm Butler was the darling of the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory, intercepting Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to seal his team’s win. But just over a month ago, Butler rode the bench as the Patriots ultimately fell in Super Bowl LII, a healthy scratch that has yet to be explained in detail.
Perhaps we’ll get closer to hearing the truth, now that Butler has landed with a new team. The free agent will take his talents to the Tennessee Titans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Former Patriots' CB Malcolm Butler intends to sign with the Tennessee Titans, per sources. Butler will play for former Patriots' LB Mike Vrabel and former Pats' personnel man Jon Robinson.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2018
In four seasons with the Patriots, Butler totaled eight interceptions, 50 passes defended (including 12 or more in his last three years) and 209 combined tackles. Butler is a well-known commodity to his new coaching and front office staffs; Mike Vrabel, a former Patriots linebacker will be his new head coach, while a former Patriots personnel staffer, Jon Robinson, is his new general manager. Additionally, Butler joins a former Patriots teammate in Tennessee’s secondary, Logan Ryan, who signed with the Titans last spring.
Contract details
According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Titans will sign Butler to a five-year deal worth $61 million, with $30 million guaranteed.
The #Titans are signing CB Malcolm Butler on a 5-year contract worth more than $61M with more than $30M guaranteed, source said. Wow.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2018
National Reaction
Anytime you can sit a future $61 million corner in the Super Bowl you gotta do it.
— Jones Henry ⚾️⚾️⚾️ (@JonesWEEI) March 13, 2018
Don’t ever let anyone tell you being benched for the Super Bowl hurts your value. https://t.co/On17f8FHuw
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) March 13, 2018
Grade
Though the Titans were a middle-of-road defense on the whole in 2017, their biggest struggles were against the pass rather than the run. No defense saw more passes thrown its way than the Titans’, and the unit ranked 25th in passing yards and 24th in passing touchdowns allowed. Despite Butler’s benching, he’s a bona fide starter, and now he has the contract to prove it.
It only makes sense that such a Patriots-heavy brain trust would both aggressively pursue Butler and then succeed in landing him. And though the contract is a pricey one, the Titans had over $50 million in cap space to spend this year, so Butler does not break their bank just yet.
Grade: A