The New Orleans Saints are trying to trade for Malcolm Butler, and it sounds like the star cornerback is hoping a deal can be reached at some point in the near future.
While there have been reports that Butler wants to remain with the New England Patriots and make things work with the team that gave him his start, Michael Giardi of CSNNE.com was told by a source that Butler has “warmed up to the idea” of playing in New Orleans.
Per source, Butler has very much warmed up to the idea of playing in New Orleans and closer to home.
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) March 15, 2017
Butler grew up in Mississippi and played college ball at West Alabama.
The Patriots initially explored the possibility of including Butler in their deal for Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks, but Butler essentially blocked the deal by not signing his restricted free agent tender. If the Pats and Saints agree to a trade now, it would probably involve New Orleans sending New England’s first-round draft pick — No. 32 overall — that was acquired in the Cooks deal back to them. In theory, the two teams would simply be jumping through extra hoops to arrive at the initial desired result.
With the Patriots having given Stephon Gilmore $40 million guaranteed over five years, there’s virtually no way they can afford to keep Butler beyond the 2017 season. And if the report we heard about Butler’s negotiations with New England last year is true, you can understand why the Super Bowl XLIX hero might want a fresh start elsewhere.
