Cornerback Malcolm Butler is back with the Patriots for another season, but there was a time when another year in New England was in doubt.
Butler was a restricted free agent this offseason and met with the Saints about signing an offer sheet for a long-term deal, but the Saints would have had to give up the 11th overall pick of the draft and nothing wound up happening before Butler signed his tender from the Patriots. That leaves Butler set to play out this year before he can become an unrestricted free agent and the cornerback isn’t talking about whether he might want to ply his trade elsewhere should that come to pass.