FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Although organized team activities are voluntary, one doesn’t need to look far at how the absence of a high-profile player can become headline news. It’s happening this week with New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
With that as a springboard, cornerback Malcolm Butler drew one of the largest media crowds after the Patriots’ organized team activity on Thursday. His presence, after a challenging offseason at the negotiating table, was notable to reporters.
Butler publicly addressed reporters for the first time this offseason, explaining why he chose to attend voluntary workouts despite not signing the lucrative long-term extension he hoped would come his way.