Patriots Reportedly Hosting Familiar Corner For Tryout

The New England Patriots may be interested in joining forces with a familiar name. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick decided to bring a former corner for a tryout. Will Belichick even consider giving Malcolm Butler a chance? We all know what happened in 2017. Belichick decided to bench Butler in the Super Bowl game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The whole benching thing is wrapped in a mystery and both Butler and Belichick declined to talk about it. Yes, they did provide a few comments, but that’s it. Why did Belichick bench the talented veteran? We don’t know.

Butler is coming to New England for a tryout after spending three seasons with the Tennessee Titans. The Patriots are not the only team to show interest in Butler as the Houston Texans and Las Vegas Raiders want him, too.

The veteran corner is not mad at all. He even cracked a joke about the infamous benching.

“I enjoyed my time (in New England),” Butler said during a joint practice in 2019. “Everything happened for a reason, and I’m still happy. I’m still in the NFL. I still have a great relationship with those guys. It’s all good. … It’s the past, man. I’m past that.”

Patriots want the veteran corner for a tryout despite controversial benching

Butler had to leave Tennessee in 2020 and signed a deal with the Arizona Cardinals. Of course, he decided to retire before the 2021 season. During his time with the Patriots, he started 48 games and made one Pro Bowl. Yes, he has a spot on the All-Decade Team for a reason.

Belichick has nothing but praise for Butler.

“Malcolm’s a great story,” Belichick said after Butler announced his retirement. “You’re talking about a kid that’s undrafted, really couldn’t even get into a training camp. And then, when we brought him up here for a rookie minicamp tryout — he wasn’t even signed when brought him up here — to see the fact that he had talent, and to see him grow and develop as a player, as a person when he was here, and what his four years of play here meant to this organization, it’s pretty impressive.

“I always enjoyed coaching Malcolm, and I have a lot of respect for the way he competed and what he did, very similar to (former Patriots receiver) David Patten, coming from nowhere and establishing (himself) and having a really good NFL career.”

Butler decided to give himself another chance and he may soon join the Patriots.