Malcolm Butler:One hit wonder (Sterling Moore 2.0) or legit?

Froob · Feb 4, 2015

Wouldn't be surprised if he passes Logan Ryan for good. Logan Ryan has looked real good at times but he's also been beaten like a rag doll at times too especially in the Green Bay game. Perhaps we would have even won if Butler had played #3. But, that's all water under the fridge now WOLRD CHAMPS!! Rodgers can have his plaque doesn't mean much without the real hardware.

jmg17 · Feb 4, 2015

Yep, legit and coachable too. Monster impact in the game. Course a great pass rush can make good DB's look spectacular. We gotta come up with a nasty pass rush somehow. Don't know if I can hold up to another season filled with all the freakin' long balls...

Patters · Feb 4, 2015

Butler did everything he was asked to do. He has a future if he's willing to put in the work. Only time will tell. As far as Arrington goes, he was a valuable part of our winning season, but it was just not fair to put him against a larger receiver 7 inches taller when Wilson was delivering perfect high passes. There are only a few CBs who could have done better.

Oswlek · Feb 4, 2015

patchick said:
Unlike Moore, Butler earned his playing time in an uncommonly deep CB corps. He shows great ball skills, and not only is he a rookie from DII but he only had 2 seasons at that level -- he was a juco transfer. Plus he was earning praise from the vets, including Revis, throughout the year. Plenty of reason to think he's only going to get better.

Absolutely. Even had he not played a down in the SB, I'd still have had reasonably high hopes for the kid. Other than Miami, he acquitted himself nicely for a rookie of any college pedigree, let alone DII.

I'd even take it a step further, he was outstanding in the SB even before the pick, so it's not just a one play wonder. The kid has skills.

5thRing-Hunt · Feb 4, 2015

I've rewatched the game and he made a lot of great plays. It wasnt just that one play. He was swatting down balls and getting to the receivers fast. If he keeps it up he has potential especially learning from Revis

Brady6 · Feb 4, 2015

Froob said:
What's the thinking on this guys potential? Played well for the most part especially the biggest game of the season. Even if he never does anything again I think we're all (most of us anyways) be more than happy but does he have real potential to he a big part of the future?

I think he has a bright future, he has tremendous ball skills and is one of the most aggressive CBs I have ever seen going for the football. I don't think he is a future all pro but I think he has a promising NFL career ahead of him.

For what it is worth Sterling Moore has carved out a solid NFL career for an UDFA.

Brady6 · Feb 4, 2015

Froob said:
Wouldn't be surprised if he passes Logan Ryan for good. Logan Ryan has looked real good at times but he's also been beaten like a rag doll at times too especially in the Green Bay game. Perhaps we would have even won if Butler had played #3. But, that's all water under the fridge now WOLRD CHAMPS!! Rodgers can have his plaque doesn't mean much without the real hardware.

Logan Ryan is very similar to Devin McCourty and would probably be better suited to convert to FS as well.

Froob · Feb 4, 2015

Brady6 said:
Logan Ryan is very similar to Devin McCourty and would probably be better suited to convert to FS as well.

I could see that. Interested to see what Chung gives us going forward. Wish J-Mac wasn't locked up, I'd kill to have two McCourtys at safety.

Betterthanmost · Feb 4, 2015

ESPN 30 for 30. What if I told you that the first career Int by an unknown undrafted, unheralded cornerback was the biggest Int in the history of the NFL and that history was within seconds rewritten.

n6249c · Feb 4, 2015

robertweathers said:
As a cover guy it does seem that Butler is more fluid and better at positioning.

Too early to tell but there is no doubt that Arrington is what he is. Not sure how much more upside Butler has.

There's usually a big jump from rookie to second year, for most players. I figure Butler stands to make a bigger jump than most. His foundation is two years of Div II after a juco transfer, then UDFA NFL rookie. To make 5 (*) plays on balls in the second half of a tight Super Bowl is way over achieving for that background. All he has to do is keep that from going to his head and he'll come into training camp with a much improved skill set.
(*) three passes defended, one tipped ball that was an incredible catch, and one INT

Biggest concern is whether he can handle success, and the fishbowl of notoriety he just landed himself in. I'm betting he can.

Slagathor · Feb 5, 2015

Let's be honest with ourselves here. When watching a game....what surprises you more....Arrington and Ryan getting beat....or making a good play?

Logan Ryan has mediocre ball skills and looks totally vulnerable when anything is thrown his way. Arrington has modest value as a nickel.

IcyPatriot · Feb 5, 2015

Watching Butler make those plays before the INT ...
There's athletic ability there that simply cannot be taught - if Belichick can reach him mentally then great.
If he's our #3 and continues to progress then we're in great shape.
I remember when Asante Samuel was our #3 - who knows and we'll see.

PatsBoy12 · Feb 5, 2015

Nah, he's been too steady for me to believe he's a fluke. But alas, there was Logan Ryan. We'll just have to wait and see. I have liked this kid since TC, so I hope he is not a one-hit wonder.

PatsBoy12 · Feb 5, 2015

Slagathor said:
Let's be honest with ourselves here. When watching a game....what surprises you more....Arrington and Ryan getting beat....or making a good play?

Logan Ryan has mediocre ball skills and looks totally vulnerable when anything is thrown his way. Arrington has modest value as a nickel.

Respect and sorry to disagree, but Kyle Arrington had some downright brilliant games this past season. The man was incredible on some of the better slot guys in the league. Did he have an awful SB? Yes, there is no denying that. However, the matchup wasn't exactly fair. He's 5'10" and was up against a guy who is what 6'3"? C'mon. The coaches have to take a ding on that one. It's Hobbs v Burress all over again. Browner should have been on him from the start, but I can see why the coaches would have felt Browner was a favorable matchup elsewhere considering the big receiver had not caught a pass all season.

I must also disagree with your assessment that Ryan has mediocre ball skills. All he did last year was intercept passes and make plays on the ball. He had a really bad sophomore slump. You know, that happens from time-to-time. Let's not write him off. I don't think the coaches will. I see Dennard being cut before Ryan, I'd bet (without factoring in the cap). He definitely didn't flash the same instincts this past season, but I think it's still a bit of a reach to say his ball skills are mediocre, especially when you look back on what he did as a rookie.

notex · Feb 5, 2015

Froob said:
I could see that. Interested to see what Chung gives us going forward. Wish J-Mac wasn't locked up, I'd kill to have two McCourtys at safety.

I saw him on "quick slants" with D-MAC a few weeks back.. both these guys seems like great lockeroom guys, smart, hardworking...only problem is that J-MAC is a cornerback... although hard to tell if you were suggesting that if he came over (obviously its not going to happen) he would change to safety like D-MAC. But wouldn't mind a DMAC/JMAC/REVIS/BROWNER backfield!

BradyManny · Feb 5, 2015

It's interesting - we have an awesome and deep secondary. For as much as people complain about Arrington, Dennard, Ryan & Butler - no team in the league can come close to that kind of depth. Arrington is a beast in the slot. Dennard was great on the outside when healthy. Ryan has had a lot of good moments. And Butler, well, obviously we saw what he can do.

I do wonder though if we're missing one piece of depth - a Browner backup (a poor man's Browner). We have no room for one on the roster. So I wonder if one of those four great pieces of depth ends up traded in the offseason and we draft a big & long CB. Just a thought.

cardiak · Feb 5, 2015

Butler had 5 passes defended (if you include the crazy ground catch) in the second half. He was all over the ball smothering receivers. He also led all Patriots defensive backs in interceptions in practice according to Brady. Hope to see good things from this kid in the future.

notex · Feb 5, 2015

BradyManny said:
It's interesting - we have an awesome and deep secondary. For as much as people complain about Arrington, Dennard, Ryan & Butler - no team in the league can come close to that kind of depth. Arrington is a beast in the slot. Dennard was great on the outside when healthy. Ryan has had a lot of good moments. And Butler, well, obviously we saw what he can do.

I do wonder though if we're missing one piece of depth - a Browner backup (a poor man's Browner). We have no room for one on the roster. So I wonder if one of those four great pieces of depth ends up traded in the offseason and we draft a big & long CB. Just a thought.

Also, don't overlook special teams value... Arrington and Logan Ryan both play on 2-3 special teams units (depending on the game).. Chung is also a big contributor.

A "big long" CB would be great bench depth for Browner, but is their gameday value more than these guys?

Slagathor · Feb 5, 2015

PatsBoy12 said:
Respect and sorry to disagree, but Kyle Arrington had some downright brilliant games this past season. The man was incredible on some of the better slot guys in the league. Did he have an awful SB? Yes, there is no denying that. However, the matchup wasn't exactly fair. He's 5'10" and was up against a guy who is what 6'3"? C'mon. The coaches have to take a ding on that one. It's Hobbs v Burress all over again. Browner should have been on him from the start, but I can see why the coaches would have felt Browner was a favorable matchup elsewhere considering the big receiver had not caught a pass all season.

I must also disagree with your assessment that Ryan has mediocre ball skills. All he did last year was intercept passes and make plays on the ball. He had a really bad sophomore slump. You know, that happens from time-to-time. Let's not write him off. I don't think the coaches will. I see Dennard being cut before Ryan, I'd bet (without factoring in the cap). He definitely didn't flash the same instincts this past season, but I think it's still a bit of a reach to say his ball skills are mediocre, especially when you look back on what he did as a rookie.

There is one game that I would categorize his play as anything close to brilliant. That was the first Indy game. He's had a couple of similar games in his time here and those few games have built up enough equity with some fans that they are willing to let him slide on his overall mediocre to average play.

Oswlek · Feb 5, 2015

Slagathor said:
Let's be honest with ourselves here. When watching a game....what surprises you more....Arrington and Ryan getting beat....or making a good play?

Logan Ryan has mediocre ball skills and looks totally vulnerable when anything is thrown his way. Arrington has modest value as a nickel.

Arrington is an odd duck. It all depends on the match up with him because he's glue on a terrific receiver like TY Hilton and then he's a mess on some random dude. Ryan was a disapp0intment, I was confident he'd be a valuable contributor but he got progressively worse as the season went on.

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