NFL News: Malcolm Butler and 13 Other Patriots Players To Be Unrestricted Free Agents
After losing Super Bowl LII, the New England Patriots must go through another crucial phase in building their roster as 14 of their players, including Malcolm Butler, enter free agency unrestricted.
The Patriots could have had back-to-back Super Bowl wins but the Philadelphia Eagles prevented that by winning the National Football League championship last Feb. 4, 41-33.
There is no doubt that the Patriots will want to come back stronger and make another run for the Super Bowl next year. However, to do that, they will have to deal with several things in roster construction especially since 14 of their players, including Butler, are soon to become unrestricted free agents.
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Apart from Butler, running backs Brandon Bolden, Rex Burkhead, and Dion Lewis are also set to become unrestricted free agents. The list also includes cornerback Johnson Bademosi; wide receivers Danny Amendola and Matthew Slater; Cameron Fleming, Nate Solder, and LaAdrian Waddle on offensive tackle; strong safety Nate Ebner; linebackers Marquis Flowers and James Harrison; and defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois.
Six out of the 14 players were part of the Patriots' starting lineup in season 2017.
The name that stands out in the list is that of Butler's for several reasons. For one, the Patriots' previous season's stats show just how important of a player Butler is to the team as he owned 98 percent of the total defensive snaps in the games he played in. However, there was his controversial benching at Super Bowl LII.
Even now, the Patriots' coaches and executives have yet to officially explain why Butler was not allowed to play last Sunday. However, there have been rumors that he might have broken some rules ahead of the Super Bowl -- which the cornerback has already denied.
Needless to say, these events led to an unfortunate ending to the relationship of Butler and the team, and it will not be surprising if these will affect his decisions once he enters the free agency where he has the liberty to sign with any team who comes up with the best offer.
While Butler has not yet manifested interest in playing for other teams, there are rumors suggesting that he could be a good fit for the New York Giants.
