Butler could still go to NO - here's how.

[QuantumMechanic]

Makes no sense. Patriots would get saints original pick not the 32.
The saints would have just taken butler in the trade instead of the 1 if they wanted to do that.

Butler can't be traded until he signs his tender so he was unavailable. I read something about here being a provision in Cooks's contract that essentially made the trade have to happen now. If that's true, I can totally see the teams doing a deal they were comfortable enough with if that's all that ends up happening but with the understanding there will be a Butler trade (so that in the entirety it ends up being what both teams really wanted) once his agent gets his act together.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

this trade has nothing to do with butler

If it did they would have just waited until Butler signed his tender

But COULD it wait? I read something about there being something in Cooks's contract that meant it couldn't wait. Like he's due a bonus on Monday and NO didn't want to be the team to pay it.

 

[XLIX]

Pats will match cap friendly deal from any team other than the Saints. That's the wink wink part.

I don't get why they would make a nudge nudge wink wink deal. If this was something both teams agreed to, why not make it a part of the trade itself?

Besides, I am not sure I would trust a rival team with a nudge nudge wink wink deal.

 

[captain insano]

If this was something both teams agreed to, why not make it a part of the trade itself?

.

they can't because butler isn't on the patriots roster. not until he signs the tender.

 

[Gronkowski123]

we have the money to keep butler and hightower.

 

[XLIX]

they can't because butler isn't on the patriots roster. not until he signs the tender.

Yes I realize that but I am assuming that any trade the Saints make for Butler would involve them hashing a deal out with him in advance and then Butler would sign the necessary paperwork to consummate the trade. Sort of a "sign-and-trade" situation.

As other members pointed out, I just don't buy the idea of a nudge nudge wink wink agreement being part of this deal. Even if the Saints and Patriots are 100% honest with each other, some other team could step in and make a monster offer to Butler and foul the whole thing up.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Yes I realize that but I am assuming that any trade the Saints make for Butler would involve them hashing a deal out with him in advance and then Butler would sign the necessary paperwork to consummate the trade. Sort of a "sign-and-trade" situation.

As other members pointed out, I just don't buy the idea of a nudge nudge wink wink agreement being part of this deal. Even if the Saints and Patriots are 100% honest with each other, some other team could step in and make a monster offer to Butler and foul the whole thing up.

It's my understanding that Cooks is owed a bonus this Monday. NO does not want to pay it and really wanted to get him off their books before then.

Let's assume that NE and NO both preferred to do a Butler-Cooks trade. However, the Butler situation (probably due to his inexperienced agent) put them against the wall. So instead the teams work out their 2nd best versions of the trade -- i.e. something both teams can live with if that's as far as things ever get. And that's what just went down.

However, they both actually want the Butler-Cooks trade. So if and when things settle down with Butler they make that second trade to make the net effect of both transactions be the original, preferred Butler-Cooks trade.

So there's no "nudge nudge wink wink". And there's nothing really to be fouled up by Butler getting an offer from somewhere else. NE and NO have already made a trade they can both live with. If they have the chance to "patch" the trade by doing a second trade with Butler, so much the better for them. But if they can't they're OK with what they did.

 

[Ring 6]

Butler can't be traded until he signs his tender so he was unavailable. I read something about here being a provision in Cooks's contract that essentially made the trade have to happen now. If that's true, I can totally see the teams doing a deal they were comfortable enough with if that's all that ends up happening but with the understanding there will be a Butler trade (so that in the entirety it ends up being what both teams really wanted) once his agent gets his act together.

But that is just a wild guess out of thin air right? Or is there more to it that I missed?
It would be very easy for butler to just sign the tender or make the deal contingent on him doing that. I think this is conspiracy theory where there is no reason for a conspiracy to be needed.

It does however explain how he could go to Nola for the 32

 

[The Boston Patriot]

For all it's worth.. Curran and Perry released an extra episode of the Quick Slants podcast a few hours ago. I'd recommend it to anyone anyway but among other things Curran said is that he heard additional whispers that Butler's agent doesn't really know what he is doing.

No surprise there. More than likely he is related to Welker's old agent.

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[QuantumMechanic]

But that is just a wild guess out of thin air right? Or is there more to it that I missed?

It's not a wild guess. I read an article saying that Cooks's contract forced haste. That's no guess. I'm not clearly remembering the reason but am pretty sure it said there's a bonus due Monday.

 

[ripatsfan91]

I would say it is more likely that the Patriots told Butler not to sign his tender yet, so as to avoid being discussed in the Cooks trade than your wink wink theory.

 

[Mack Herron]

It's not a wild guess. I read an article saying that Cooks's contract forced haste. That's no guess. I'm not clearly remembering the reason but am pretty sure it said there's a bonus due Monday.

Correct.

Cooks, as noted by Adam Schefter of ESPN, had a $781,599 roster bonus due Monday. The Patriots will be on the hook for that payment.

Saints ship Brandin Cooks to Patriots

 

[Ring 6]

It's not a wild guess. I read an article saying that Cooks's contract forced haste. That's no guess. I'm not clearly remembering the reason but am pretty sure it said there's a bonus due Monday.

That is not evidence that butler was part of the deal any more than it is that Brady is part of the deal.

There is no reason to believe that butler would refuse to sign it and hold up the deal he has nothing at all to gain from that.

 

[neuronet]

For all we know he is visiting family in Alabama.

 

[2000army]

We are overlooking one simple fact... if Butler signs a RFA agreement with another team... no one knows what the terms would be. Kind of risky to bet against that and deal away your top WR

 

[pherein]

cant you just give him to us ? seeing as you have cooks ? lol

 

[The Scrizz]

I don't know why people are acting like the Saints had the leverage in this situation. Straight up I take Malcolm. So why is he the guy bringing back #32 in this hypothetical? You don't take anything less that #11 for him because that's what the tender says you can get. I don't care if Payton and BB are friends, this is big business!

 

[long distance]

 

[zipster9]

I don't know why people are acting like the Saints had the leverage in this situation. Straight up I take Malcolm. So why is he the guy bringing back #32 in this hypothetical? You don't take anything less that #11 for him because that's what the tender says you can get. I don't care if Payton and BB are friends, this is big business!

IF they trade Butler (only if he signs his tender), I would only accept Saints #11 pick in the 1st round.

From there, Patriots can trade down (low 1st rounder, and low 2nd rounder)... IMO