The prodigal son returns.
Cornerback Malcolm Butler, last seen in a Patriots uniform benched and witnessing his teammates allowing 538 yards and 41 points to Nick Foles and the Eagles in a Super Bowl LII loss, has agreed to return to New England on a two-year deal worth a maximum of $9 million.
This came hours after the Dolphins traded five picks for Chiefs star receiver Tyreek Hill. Miami has now given QB Tua Tagovailoa the following targets: Hill, Cedrick Wilson, Jaylen Waddle, Devante Parker and Mike Gesicki, along with franchise LT Terron Armstead and running backs Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert.
BSJ ANALYSIS
Overall impression of Butler re-signing with the Patriots? Sure, why the hell not ... and it certainly can't hurt in what has rapidly become a stacked AFC, let alone the AFC East.
Butler becomes the lastest 30-something to be inked during their Jurassic offseason to this point. Butler, who "retired" last season when he was likely to be cut by the Cardinals, just turned 32.
The Patriots' cornerback depth chart, right now, looks like this:
Jalen Mills
Jonathan Jones (missed most of 2021 with shoulder injury)
Malcolm Butler (street free agent)
Terrance Mitchell (street free agent)
Myles Bryant (2020 UDFA)
Shaun Wade (trade from Baltimore last year)
Joejuan Williams (2019 second-round bust)
Butler should at least be serviceable for the Patriots, if not a reliable performer since he knows the system. They did not think him worthy of a No. 1 CB contract in 2018 — they gave his money to Stephon Gilmore instead — and Butler never lived up to his No. 1 contract in Tennessee, which released him after the 2020 season.
The Patriots could have signed Butler last offseason, when he signed a modest one-year deal with Arizona that had $3.25 million fully guaranteed, including a $2.175 million signing bonus.
The Patriots are now getting Butler in what we assume will be an incentive-laden contract.
It's the definition of low-risk, but no one has any clue whether there will be a high reward after a season away from football, uninspired play in a Titans uniform.
Where the Patriots are right now in the secondary, there are certainly a lot worse additions they could have entertained.