Mike Reiss ESPN Staff Writer
With ESPN's Diana Russini tweeting this morning that the Patriots are considering a trade of cornerback Malcolm Butler to the New Orleans Saints in a deal that involves wide receiver Brandin Cooks, here are a few thoughts:
1) If the Patriots deal Butler, it would be economic-based with the thinking that an extension is highly unlikely after his restricted free-agent season of 2017. So it would be similar to the Chandler Jones trade from last year from the team's perspective: Get something for a player you don't believe will be part of your long-term plans because of a difference of opinion on value;
2) The sides were close to a deal last year but couldn't push it over the goal-line. There has been no advancement since that time, and if anything, Butler could make a stronger case to hold firm in his stance after a solid 2016 season;
3) Trading Butler and using some of the money to sign a player outside of the system in Stephon Gilmore comes with risk – both on the field and from a perception standpoint with players. Butler is almost everything the Patriots could have wanted, and those are the types of players the team usually wants to reward. But in this case, he would be leaving the organization to get his big financial reward.
With ESPN's Diana Russini tweeting this morning that the Patriots are considering a trade of cornerback Malcolm Butler to the New Orleans Saints in a deal that involves wide receiver Brandin Cooks, here are a few thoughts:
1) If the Patriots deal Butler, it would be economic-based with the thinking that an extension is highly unlikely after his restricted free-agent season of 2017. So it would be similar to the Chandler Jones trade from last year from the team's perspective: Get something for a player you don't believe will be part of your long-term plans because of a difference of opinion on value;
2) The sides were close to a deal last year but couldn't push it over the goal-line. There has been no advancement since that time, and if anything, Butler could make a stronger case to hold firm in his stance after a solid 2016 season;
3) Trading Butler and using some of the money to sign a player outside of the system in Stephon Gilmore comes with risk – both on the field and from a perception standpoint with players. Butler is almost everything the Patriots could have wanted, and those are the types of players the team usually wants to reward. But in this case, he would be leaving the organization to get his big financial reward.