Saints, Malcolm Butler have agreed to contract – but trade “unlikely”

Entering the offseason, the New England Patriots had two defensive cornerstones headed for free agency: linebacker Dont’a Hightower (unrestricted) and cornerback Malcolm Butler (restricted). The Patriots were able to re-sign Hightower to a four-year contract while placing the first round tender on Butler. While this secured the team’s rights to keep the Pro Bowl cornerback for another year, Butler and his camp were hesitant to sign it – hoping, instead, for long-term contract that would pay him more than the tender’s $3.91 million. In order to get that deal, Butler looked outside of New England and found a possible suitor in the New Orleans Saints. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the