Reiss: Malcolm Butler plans to push for an adjustment to his contract

[patsbrasilpatriotas]

If I was Malcolm's agent, family, friend, financial advisor or of it was me personally running into him at Lowes buying a new shovel, I would advise with the force of GOD to get as much $ RIGHT NOW as he possibly can. You only get so many opportunities to lock up a reasonable level of personal financial security for the rest of your life. This is one of them.

Even if he can get a bridge deal for ~$4m guaranteed that'll help meet that objective.

Thats what im saying

 

[RobertWeathers]

Exactly rob we all remember the Patriots ripped up Gronk's original Rookie contact deal and that wasn't exactly peanuts compared to what Bulter is on the books for this season and next. When you outplay your contract you deserve to get payed also Butler plays the toughest position in Football CB.

There is no question he has outplayed it. Thats not debatable. We can argue for months if he is a top 5, top 10 or top 20 CB. I'm not interested in going there.

What is a complete no-brainer (and it seems he is thinking this way) is that he needs to get something right now.

 

[Ivan]

There is no question he has outplayed it. Thats not debatable. We can argue for months if he is a top 5, top 10 or top 20 CB. I'm not interested in going there.

What is a complete no-brainer (and it seems he is thinking this way) is that he needs to get something right now.

Disagree completely. Butler has had one very good year in the NFL and he has zero leverage. If he's smart all of his attention n is on getting better, not getting a new deal. If the Patriots are looking to extend him then by all means try to get something done but if they aren't he would be better served having another really good season and dealing from a better position for a bigger extension. As some have said they might offer him a bump like Lewis got, however if b they did then they wouldn't be looking to redo it next year. He might get an extra couple of million the next two years, whereas if he waited until after the season they may be more inclined to give him something around the 4/32/20 discussed earlier. If he wants Josh Norman money he will have to play at that level through 2018 because they aren't giving him that until they have to. If he decides to try and play hardball out starts sulking about it I would expect it to Backfire badly and jeopardize his career. Belichick can bury him any time he wants and he will if he tries holding out on them.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Disagree completely. Butler has had one very good year in the NFL and he has zero leverage. If he's smart all of his attention n is on getting better, not getting a new deal. If the Patriots are looking to extend him then by all means try to get something done but if they aren't he would be better served having another really good season and dealing from a better position for a bigger extension. As some have said they might offer him a bump like Lewis got, however if b they did then they wouldn't be looking to redo it next year. He might get an extra couple of million the next two years, whereas if he waited until after the season they may be more inclined to give him something around the 4/32/20 discussed earlier. If he wants Josh Norman money he will have to play at that level through 2018 because they aren't giving him that until they have to. If he decides to try and play hardball out starts sulking about it I would expect it to Backfire badly and jeopardize his career. Belichick can bury him any time he wants and he will if he tries holding out on them.

He has enough leverage to create a situation. He can decide not show up to OTAs and TC and sit out the year. The question is will he choose to use it. Right now the team has zero urgency to do anything. Sitting out forces the team to do something which is either decide they want to pay him or trade him. If they decide to leave him in limbo then they are sitting their best cover guy which is absolutely a stupid football decision. With that said it depends on what he is looking for. If he is looking for nothing less than Josh Norman $ he is gone. If he is looking for a taste until a bigger deal then I think the team would find that to be reasonable to do for a ProBowl CB making 600k who is near the bottom for players who started at their position. If he played like Bradley Fletcher then that is a different discussion.

BB will not bury a ProBowl player. Thats not realistic. If it gets contentious he'll trade him and salvage something from the relationship. He won't pull and Al Davis and be a spiteful jerk.

The situation is the same for every single employee. If you are being paid X and you are producing more than what you are paid, you owe it to yourself to earn more money.

 

[mgteich]

He has enough leverage to create a situation. He can decide not show up to OTAs and TC and sit out the year. The question is will he choose to use it. Right now the team has zero urgency to do anything. Sitting out forces the team to do something which is either decide they want to pay him or trade him. If they decide to leave him in limbo then they are sitting their best cover guy which is absolutely a stupid football decision. With that said it depends on what he is looking for. If he is looking for nothing less than Josh Norman $ he is gone. If he is looking for a taste until a bigger deal then I think the team would find that to be reasonable to do for a ProBowl CB making 600k who is near the bottom for players who started at their position. If he played like Bradley Fletcher then that is a different discussion.

BB will not bury a ProBowl player. Thats not realistic. If it gets contentious he'll trade him and salvage something from the relationship. He won't pull and Al Davis and be a spiteful jerk.

The situation is the same for every single employee. If you are being paid X and you are producing more than what you are paid, you owe it to yourself to earn more money.

Sitting out the year doesn't help Butler. The patriots would have the same rights next year. What he can do is sit out until the last possible minute he can and still have a full year under the CBA.

Then in 2017, he can wait for bids, seeing who will use a 1st for him.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Sitting out the year doesn't help Butler. The patriots would have the same rights next year.

Thats the whole point of a holdout. It creates clarity and establishes perceived leverage. Sometimes that nothing takes months to turn into something (see Mankins, Branch, Seymour) .

What he can do is sit out until the last possible minute he can and still have a full year under the CBA.

Yep. He needs 6 games.

Then in 2017, he can wait for bids, seeing who will use a 1st for him.

That is a year away. Assuming he wants to paid like a Pro Bowl CB or feels that he has earned a raise now that is not an option. If he wants to wait then that is fine.

 

[RI Patriots fan]

Thats the whole point of a holdout. It creates clarity and establishes perceived leverage. Sometimes that nothing takes months to turn into something (see Mankins, Branch, Seymour) .



Yep. He needs 6 games.



That is a year away. Assuming he wants to paid like a Pro Bowl CB or feels that he has earned a raise now that is not an option. If he wants to wait then that is fine.

I thought the same thing but Miguel pointed out earlier in the thread (posts #15 and #17) that he has to report at the beginning of the year since he doesn't have 4 accrued years.

So he can't do what Logan Mankins did and sit out most of the season and only play the final 6 games. If he does do that, the Patriots will still have his rights next year and he won't be a RFA until 2018.

That's why we're saying that Butler has no leverage.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I thought the same thing but Miguel pointed out earlier in the thread (posts #15 and #17) that he has to report at the beginning of the year since he doesn't have 4 accrued years.

So he can't do what Logan Mankins did and sit out most of the season and only play the final 6 games. If he does do that, the Patriots will still have his rights next year and he won't be a RFA until 2018.

That's why we're saying that Butler has no leverage.

Ok I did not read that.

That hurts him for sure but a Pro Bowler not playing is still leverage.

 

[Miguel]

I guess that I should quote the CBA every other page

"A player shall not receive an Accrued Season for any League Year in which the player is under contract to a Club and in which he failed to report to such Club at least thirty days prior to the first regular season game of that season, or in which the player thereafter failed to perform his contract services for the Club for a material period of time unless he demonstrates to the Impartial Arbitrator extreme personal hardship causing such failure to report or perform, such as severe illness or death in the family."

 

[1960Pats]

I often find myself when these situations arise thinking a contract is a contract, you were fine when you signed it, blah, blah, blah... Then I ask myself what I would do if I were in Malcolm's shoes. While I don't necessarily like the answer, it's that I'd very likely do what he seems to be doing.

I agree with your line of thinking about contracts, but each one has to be viewed separately.
Case 1. Darrelle Mevis signed a deal with huge money up front from the Jests and then whined about his lower salary at the end of the deal, after he had pocketed millions in bonus money. When he sat out on his team and demanded more I couldn't respect the man.
Case 2. Butler makes the Pats as a FA and goes on to become a top player while making relatively small money. Some might even refer to his salary as peanuts. I could support the man if he asked for a bump in salary and I might lay the blame at the team if he had to sit out to get it.

 

[Skree]

Surprised, didn't think he would be the kind of guy to push for it. But, I don't blame him at all for wanting to get paid now, never know when your career could end, get paid now.

At the end of the day it is a job. He should get paid for the really good work he's doing. The kid play balls out on almost every play. Sure, he gets burned sometimes, but all CB's get burned.

 

[neuronet]

Pay the man. Do what's right. No brainer here.

 

[Ivan]

Can anyone name the last undrafted player who started one season and was rewarded with a premier contract? II know I can't. Imo the best path Butler can hope for right now is like Allen Hurns, put up a second straight season of really good play and convince the Patriots he would be a good long term investment. He has no leverage at all right now and can't force the Patriots to do anything. I do think however that the Patriots are going to take into consideration what has happened with two of the biggest CB contracts in football, Revis and Peterson, who both had significant drop offs last season after getting their big paydays. If Butler goes out and puts up another season like last season then I could see the Patriots offering him 8-10 a season on a 4 year deal, but the only way he's getting 15 a season is if he hits free agency in 2019.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Can anyone name the last undrafted player who started one season and was rewarded with a premier contract? II know I can't. Imo the best path Butler can hope for right now is like Allen Hurns, put up a second straight season of really good play and convince the Patriots he would be a good long term investment. He has no leverage at all right now and can't force the Patriots to do anything. I do think however that the Patriots are going to take into consideration what has happened with two of the biggest CB contracts in football, Revis and Peterson, who both had significant drop offs last season after getting their big paydays. If Butler goes out and puts up another season like last season then I could see the Patriots offering him 8-10 a season on a 4 year deal, but the only way he's getting 15 a season is if he hits free agency in 2019.

Hmmm. Might have to do some digging but I'd guess that Arrington and Stephen Neal got solid deals after starting a year.

 

[Ivan]

Hmmm. Might have to do some digging but I'd guess that Arrington and Stephen Neal got solid deals after starting a year.

It's possible they saw bumps, similar to what Lewis got last year but nowhere near the money being thrown about for Butler. I can see them going 4 years 32-40 if he goes out and builds on last season but he's not getting the bigger deal this year, especially with all, the work they already have in front of them.

 

[RobertWeathers]

It's possible they saw bumps, similar to what Lewis got last year but nowhere near the money being thrown about for Butler. I can see them going 4 years 32-40 if he goes out and builds on last season but he's not getting the bigger deal this year, especially with all, the work they already have in front of them.

Correct.

Looks like Arrington got a decent deal in 2011 and his dumbass deal $4m per in 2013.

Neal got a decent deal in 06. Well deserved.

Agreed though on Malcolm. His "deal" will blow those out of the water.

 

[Sciz]

One other important difference with Hurns (there are many) is that there was no chance of him getting the franchise tag in 2018 unless the Jags gave Allen Robinson a massive deal before then.

Solder appears to be Butler's only real competition for the 2018 tag right now, and I'm sure we'd all be ecstatic if both play like franchise tag candidates over these next two seasons.

 

[Tony2046]

It's possible they saw bumps, similar to what Lewis got last year but nowhere near the money being thrown about for Butler. I can see them going 4 years 32-40 if he goes out and builds on last season but he's not getting the bigger deal this year, especially with all, the work they already have in front of them.

Question: What is the team's perspective? Does it make sense to give a guy a four year deal when you have others that are in the same or similar position? Is it wrong for the team to consider spending their cap space elsewhere to improve the team as a whole?

Hopefully this doesn't get messy.

 

[mgteich]

Question: What is the team's perspective? Does it make sense to give a guy a four year deal when you have others that are in the same or similar position? Is it wrong for the team to consider spending their cap space elsewhere to improve the team as a whole?

Hopefully this doesn't get messy.

Yes, there are several players who will be UFA's in 2017 instead of being an RFA like Butler. It would seem that Belichick would focus on them now instead of on Butler. Folks may be disappointed. However, IMHO, for 2016 negotiations, there are many in line before Butler: Hightower, Collins, Sheard, Ryan, Harmon and Ninkovich for a start.

 

[Ivan]

Question: What is the team's perspective? Does it make sense to give a guy a four year deal when you have others that are in the same or similar position? Is it wrong for the team to consider spending their cap space elsewhere to improve the team as a whole?

Hopefully this doesn't get messy.

I think they have players they prioritize and try to make deals where they can with them while art the same time locking up depth wherever they can. The tougher deals go down to, the wire and sometimes they just can't get them done, e.g...Talib, so they look to fill that in free agency.