Malcolm Butler

[BobDigital]

I think we should bump this every week. He has improved every game but just a little inconsistent to be expected.

 

[mosi's man]

Overall excellent play. Still getting beat on double moves, however. I hope he calms down just a little bit. He seems overly eager out there and I think he'd be at his best playing at a slightly slower pace. I expect it will come as he settles in and gains a little more experience.

 

[newenglandsports11]

Obviously he was tremendous yesterday and my guess is he mans up on Hilton on SNF with Tarrell Brown on Andre Johnson. Very impressed with his tackling. His hands need work but that'll come. Very impressed with him overall.

 

[farn]

Minimal mistakes by a young player. Count me in the "pleasantly impressed" camp.

 

[patsfan13]

Butler is a legit #1 CB, not saying he is Revis or Sherman, OTOH his cap hit is about 4% of Revis's, crazy value.

 

[sambam94]

Obviously he was tremendous yesterday and my guess is he mans up on Hilton on SNF with Tarrell Brown on Andre Johnson. Very impressed with his tackling. His hands need work but that'll come. Very impressed with him overall.

more worried with moncrief

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

If Malcolm was 3 inches taller, none of these TDs would have happened

 

[deters]

If Malcolm was 3 inches taller, none of these TDs would have happened

His coverage has been pretty damn good. Love what i see out of him and his progression is coming along. Would've been nice seeing him start next to a Revis or Talib quality player though.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

If Malcolm was 3 inches taller, none of these TDs would have happened

Which is why I don't understand why teams don't draft corners 6'1" or taller. Too many athletic 6'4 wide receivers in the league for 5'10 corners to compete against

 

[RobertWeathers]

Butler is a legit #1 CB.

Hes been about as expected but I'm stopping short of calling him a #1. I need more of a body of work to make that call.

With that said if he was on the FA market he'd be fetching about $4m /yr.

 

[hambone1818]

Which is why I don't understand why teams don't draft corners 6'1" or taller. Too many athletic 6'4 wide receivers in the league for 5'10 corners to compete against

Because if they were 6'1" they'd be WR's themselves

The best speed/hands/size athletes become receivers. Those who can't cut it on offense--whether it be speed, hands, height, other, wind up on defense. Usually corners are shorter for this reason: they have the speed and athleticism to hang with receivers, but not the height. Taller corners are generally deficient somewhere else--their speed or agility--and just can't hang with good receivers.

This is all vastly over-generalizing, but if Butler were 6'1" he'd likely have the game to be a WR, and regardless of position he wouldn't have gone undrafted. Which is the final component: taller CB's with the speed/agility of WR's don't last in drafts. Just glancing through the 2015 draft, there were four first round CB's (all obviously taken before the Pats pick), two are 6'1", two are 6'0".

I honestly think this is why Belichick's gone with so many undersized CB's through the years: he knows he has to sacrifice something--height, speed, agility--drafting where he does, rather than draft flawed 6'0"+ guys who can't hang with top receivers he goes with the smaller 5'9"-5'11" guys who, presumably, can at least stick with their man even if they're gonna lose on the jump balls.

 

[RobertWeathers]

BB is still very happy with Malcolm

The Super Bowl XLIX hero had been a backup in 2014. A year later, he's become the team's clear no. 1 cornerback.

"There's no question about that," Bill Belichick said when broached about Butler's increased responsibilities. "His role is that he's out on the field for almost every defensive play, so that's a big change from where it was last year. Malcolm is a good football player and he's played very well for us both last year and this year."

Bill Belichick: 'No question' Malcolm Butler is thriving as Patriots lead cornerback

 

[unoriginal]

The difference between a competitive corner and an elite corner is the ability to make interceptions. Once Butler starts making QBs pay for throwing at him, they'll stop testing him to see if their WR "can make a play" on a jump ball.

Because if they were 6'1" they'd be WR's themselves

The best speed/hands/size athletes become receivers. Those who can't cut it on offense--whether it be speed, hands, height, other, wind up on defense...

I believe generally its the opposite. Offense requires hands/ball security and playbook knowledge in addition to raw athleticism, particularly at lower levels where players start to specialize. Consequently the majority of the best athletes end up on defense. The place where this is most obvious is the difference between DL and OL.

There are very, very few 6'0"+ guys in the world who can play corner at an NFL level. You need exceptional balance, stamina, and anticipation to make up for your longer gait, higher center of gravity, and the more strenuous nature of defending.

 

[DaBruinz]

There are very, very few 6'0"+ guys in the world who can play corner at an NFL level. You need exceptional balance, stamina, and anticipation to make up for your longer gait, higher center of gravity, and the more strenuous nature of defending.

As I pointed out in another thread, some of the best CBs in the league have been under 6'.
Ty Law. Otis Smith. Darell Green. Lester Hayes. Rod Woodson. Just to name a few..

Some of the other greats have topped out at 6'1. Charles Tillman. Charles Woodson. Mike Haynes. Deion Sanders.

 

[VectorPrime]

Revis is under 6 feet

 

[Interception]

I honestly think this is why Belichick's gone with so many undersized CB's through the years: he knows he has to sacrifice something--height, speed, agility--drafting where he does, rather than draft flawed 6'0"+ guys who can't hang with top receivers he goes with the smaller 5'9"-5'11" guys who, presumably, can at least stick with their man even if they're gonna lose on the jump balls.

must be why belichick has such a good record with drafting CBs, right?

 

[DaBruinz]

must be why belichick has such a good record with drafting CBs, right?

Says the person who claims that this won't be a top 10 defense...

 

[mosi's man]

I like Coleman so far as well. Could be a nice young piece going forward.

 

[NashuaPats]

Other than Talib, Revis, and Law, I can't think of a better CB that we have had. And he is making NFL minimum wage.

I think he is doing a great job.

 

[Brady6]

There are very, very few 6'0"+ guys in the world who can play corner at an NFL level. You need exceptional balance, stamina, and anticipation to make up for your longer gait, higher center of gravity, and the more strenuous nature of defending.

No offense you are way off here, there are more #1 CBs that are under 6’0” than there are that are over.

Darrelle Revis 5’11”, 198 lbs
Vontae Davis 5’11”, 207 lbs
Chris Harris Jr. 5’10”, 199 lbs
Casey Hayward 5'11", 192 lbs
Joe Haden 5’11”, 195 lbs
Kareem Jackson 5’10”, 188lbs
Brandon Flowers 5’9”, 187 lbs
Alterraun Verner 5’10”, 187 lbs
Johnathan Joseph 5’11”, 188 lbs
Tramon Williams 5’11”, 191 lbs
Lardarius Webb 5’10”, 182 lbs
Brent Grimes’ 5’10”, 185 lbs
Janoris Jenkins 5’10”, 198 lbs
Sam Shields’ 5’11”, 184 lbs