A Thought About Malcolm Butler

Marqui said:

It was interesting Riess mentioned today that Butler ran a 4.4 a his private workout here. He's going to breakout next year.

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With no combine invitation in 2014, Butler hoped to open eyes by taking part in the University of Alabama Pro Day last year, which is sort of like a combine in and of itself. But when he ran a 4.6-second time in the 40-yard dash, his agent Derek Simpson recalled that “all interest had faded.” The draft went by and Butler’s name wasn’t called, and no team even offered an immediate free-agent deal. Said Simpson, “I’ll never forget it; I was at my dining room table and got a phone call. It was [Patriots cornerbacks coach] Josh Boyer and he said, ‘Is Malcolm still available? I can bring in one player in the country for a tryout and I picked Malcolm. I believe Malcolm can play in the NFL.’ We had to sign a release just to try out, and within one hour after his flight from Jackson, Mississippi, to New England, they had him run a 40 and he did a 4.4. From that point forward, it’s been nothing but incredible.”

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http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-...009/quick-hit-thoughts-around-patriots-nfl-14

Runs a 4.6 in Alabama pro day and then runs 4.4 in a private workout. Josh Boyer gets to pick one player for a tryout and he picks Butler. Incredible!

But but but we were told here several times that Josh Boyer was a lousy coach!

Wasn't Dennard playing with a hamstring injury most this season? They are an easy injury to keep hurting if you don't rest it. I thought he was fine in 2013. Hopefully he will be fine next year!

The more the merrier in the secondary as far as I am concerned.

Some comments on the comments

1. Clearly we have come a LONG way from just a few years ago when we were so thin in the DB that we had to recruit WR's to play the position

2. Butler has 2 skills that are rare, even among quality DB's. One, he has the knack for always being around the ball. Two, he has the ability to know when to turn back to the ball in order to be in position to make a play on the ball.

3. Butler has 2 weaknesses that make it unlikely that he will ever be a quality #1 or #2 CB. One he is short, and 2, he doesn't have great physical strength to consistently play big WRs. For example Dennard is a good example of a short CB who has had some success against bigger WR's because he possesses great strength, despite his height.

4. This makes Butler an ideal candidate for the slot CB (a starting position in today's game). His great quickness and instinct for the ball make this look like an excellent fit. Whether that happens this year or the next is going to depend on how Arrington continues to play the position.

5. This is not cut and dried since, this was easily the best year Arrington has had as a CB since he's been here. Revis took the top guy. Browner took the big guys, and that usually left Arrington to cover guys he was more suited to cover than the ones he, even when they were talented like Hilton. Before he'd be forced to cover #1 or #2 guys all the time. Thus he had his best season of his career

6. A CB group of Revis, Browner, Arrington, Butler, Dennard, and Ryan, gives the Pats a HUGE amount of depth and skill sets that will allow Patricia to be creative, versatile, and deceptive in creating each week's game plan, as well as survive the attrition that is an NFL season

7. As to the OP, I strongly believe that if Butler applies the same kind of "hair on fire" effort, he will more than double his playing time. This is the new NFL where even the #4 or 5 CB is going to see a lot of action if he worth allowing on the field.

meatface said:

Butler cannot avoid the pats second year corner curse

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LOL. It is a pretty big list.

Darius Butler
Leigh Bodden
Tyronne Wheatley
Jon Wilhite
Logan Ryan (although his drop was not a huge one but he was better in 2013)

patsinthesnow said:

Dennard is good as gone with a 1.4 million cap savings by cutting/trading him. He's on the final year of his deal and is horrible in the slot. I can't see him winning any snaps if he made the team.

Logan Ryan just isn't an NFL man CB. He has ability though and should be moved to safety.

That leaves:

Revis CB1
Browner CB2
Arrington NB
Butler DB + main backup outside CB

Butler's ceiling is replacing Browner as the CB opposite Revis and his floor is a valuable CB4 vs the Colts, Steelers, and Broncos.

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I agree with your comments about the top four.

Ryan was good enough to be starting outside before Browner was available. He is a good special teamer. And he is OK as a dime back. I think that he played more reps than Arrington this year. So, while he is not a starter, I think that he should be considered part of the mix as our dime back.
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Once the contracts with Revis and McCourty are settled, our 9 man secondary will be set with 5 corners and 4 safeties, comprising the best (or 2nd best) secondary in the NFL.

So, we are talking about the last roster spots. This year, Belichick kept an extra corner and safety for most of the year (Dennard and Ebner) and occasionally Jones.

I suspect that Belichick will again keep 6 corners. Dennard was injured and should be OK as a backup on the outside. The question is whether he will be cut to save the $1M and replaced by an UDFA or minimum salary vet.

Anyone who uses the super bowl to judge Arrington's skills is simply not paying close enough attention. As many have already stated, his play vs Ravens + Colts was fantastic. He's easily the top slot corner on this team (and likely amongst the best in the league) while it just so happens he may also be the worst outside cb on the roster. BTW, hes pound for pound one of the best ive seen against the run also, which you know BB loves. Which adds great value when hes playing in the slot close to the line. Its like he's an extra (tiny) defensive end... or an actual one when playing the Dolphins

Patstopia said:

Wasn't Dennard playing with a hamstring injury most this season? They are an easy injury to keep hurting if you don't rest it. I thought he was fine in 2013. Hopefully he will be fine next year!

The more the merrier in the secondary as far as I am concerned.

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Exactly, I don't see any reason to get rid of good CB depth that's relatively cheap. You can never have too many good DBs in this league.

FourierSeries said:

I still think Butler will overtake Arrington.

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They are very different players. Butler is an outside CB and I could also see Butler playing Free Safety.

I don't know if it would work. But, against some of these spreads could we go 4-3-4 with 3 of your db's being cb's? Revis, Browner and Butler. Revis and Malcolm on the outside. Browner and Jamie Collins being athletic to more around anywhere. With Browner covering the 2nd te or biggest wr. McCourt being the single high safety.

Everyone is calling that Kearse 3rd down play a drop. But, Butler made a nice play on that too. He got picked and showed terrific make-up speed. He came down hard across Kearse's right arm just as the ball arrived. The sideline angle doesn't show it well. But, there was an endzone replay of it where you can see it much better. Butler also got up well and spiked one ball on the last drive. And, he made a terrific play on the lucky catch at the 5. Harmon has to break that up or pick it off. Malcolm seems like a real humble kid. Has a lot to prove still. And, more importantly. He has an opportunity to make a lot of money at this game if he works hard. He hasn't made much yet. I'm betting on him becoming a decent NFL player.

Considering the secondary depth now, assuming McCourty and Revis come back, it will be interesting to see if there's a DB free draft this year. That has only happened once under BBs tenure (2002).

manxman2601 said:

Considering the secondary depth now, assuming McCourty and Revis come back, it will be interesting to see if there's a DB free draft this year. That has only happened once under BBs tenure (2002).

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It could happen. But it would be hard for Belichick not to take a flyer in the 6th or 7th to get some competition for the Dennard, our expensive #6 corner.

mgteich said:

It could happen. But it would be hard for Belichick not to take a flyer in the 6th or 7th to get some competition for the Dennard, our expensive #6 corner.

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Like Jemea Thomas last year.

manxman2601 said:

Like Jemea Thomas last year.

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Indeed.

vuudu said:

What I fear is that Arrington has been exposed, Wilson threw the ball even though Arrington was in good position regardless of who he was covering. If Arrington is starting next season expect him to be a target early and often. It will be like the way teams went after McCourty after his rookie year. He may be in good position but will never adjust and go for the ball.

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I wouldn't call a 5'10', 190lb corner being out-jumped by a 6'5" 218lb receiver being "exposed."

More like biology+physics.

TY Hilton would murder Browner, 1 on 1, if he got off the line.

Aquib Talib couldn't handle Steve Smith.

Just match-ups. Arrington got caught on Matthews - the Pats weren't prepared for a guy who hadn't caught a pass...ever.

mgteich said:

It could happen. But it would be hard for Belichick not to take a flyer in the 6th or 7th to get some competition for the Dennard, our expensive #6 corner.

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The Dennard situation is one where we just don't have answers. Were his issues mostly injury, or is there something more fundamentally at issue here?

50-yard-line said:

I wouldn't call a 5'10', 190lb corner being out-jumped by a 6'5" 218lb receiver being "exposed."

More like biology+physics.

TY Hilton would murder Browner, 1 on 1, if he got off the line.

Aquib Talib couldn't handle Steve Smith.

Just match-ups. Arrington got caught on Matthews - the Pats weren't prepared for a guy who hadn't caught a pass...ever.

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By no means were Arrington's SB issues all height related.

50-yard-line said:

Just match-ups. Arrington got caught on Matthews - the Pats weren't prepared for a guy who hadn't caught a pass...ever.

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There was more going on than that. The adjustment that shutdown Matthews was putting Browner on him. They weren't comfortable with swapping Arrington onto Kearse and brought in Butler instead. The face mask that led to the touchdown might have sealed Arrington's fate in that game.

Great coaching makes a difference.

Speaking of which, was it Brian Flores (Safety Coach) who yelled "Malcom!" to send him in for the goal line play? Another freakin' great coaching call.

Deus Irae said:

It has happened. He sucks on the outside, and he's susceptible to being beaten deep. Those are major flaws.

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Apples & Oranges, Arrington is a good slot player and very good ST player who is miscast on the outside. Browner would be a terrible Slot corner.

Butler is competing with Ryan ( who is a zone CB) and Dennard for PT.

vuudu said:

What I fear is that Arrington has been exposed, Wilson threw the ball even though Arrington was in good position regardless of who he was covering. If Arrington is starting next season expect him to be a target early and often. It will be like the way teams went after McCourty after his rookie year. He may be in good position but will never adjust and go for the ball.

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Arrington had a bad game. He's had other bad games. He's had many more good games than bad.

Sometimes you just struggle....and Matthews had 6 inches on him. I blame some poor coaching in allowing Arrington to get isolated out wide in such a mismatch without any realistic safety help. He gave away a couple of big plays which he really couldn't do much about.

He was arguably the best player on the field during our last Super Bowl against the Giants. Let's remember that.

In years of play any weaknesses would've been noticed by now. We know what they are ourselves already....which is why I was unhappy with some of the situations he was put in.