FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- With cornerback Malcolm Butler signing his $3.91 million restricted-free agent tender on Thursday, a resolution on his future with the New England Patriots should be reached by the end of the month.
This was a critical step toward that resolution, and here is why that is the case: Butler couldn't be traded until he signed his tender, and any interested teams would likely have significantly less motivation to deal for him after the NFL Draft April 27-29.
So the timing is big here, with the New Orleans Saints the most likely (and perhaps only) suitor.