Butler For Cooks Deal Being Hashed Out Between NE-NO

[FreeTedWilliams]

...and still be in good shape... -ish?

Not without Hightower, and as of right now, they have no pass rushers, and are about to trade their #1 CB for a third WR

 

[strngplyr]

Not without Hightower, and as of right now, they have no pass rushers, and are about to trade their #1 CB for a third WR

Trey Flowers?

 

[JMC00]

 

[supafly]

Yes.

Butler is not being paid $14mm this season, he is being paid $4mm.
The cap has been going up $10mm a season, so could be $175-180mm next season.

Someone earlier commented that two corners at $14mm each would be 1/3 of the cap. No, it would be under 1/6. And would create a huge defensive advantage.

I would absolutely love to see a defense with the two of them.

It's doubtful in my opinion, that the Pats pay DMac, Gilmore, and Butler ALL double digit contracts in the secondary. That sounds a bit far fetched to expect 1/4 of the salary cap to be spent on those three players.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I'm so confused.

 

[strngplyr]

It's doubtful in my opinion, that the Pats pay DMac, Gilmore, and Butler ALL double digit contracts in the secondary. That sounds a bit far fetched to expect 1/4 of the salary cap to be spent on those three players.

Agree'd it's doubtful, but what a secondary we COULD have...

 

[PatsBoy12]

hate to see Butler go, but Cooks is really, really good.

So is Butler.

 

[Nehalem]

Why does everyone think we're stacked at WR? We have Edelman (30 with injury history) and guys who are either role players (Hogan, Amendola) or unknowns (Mitchell). It's one of the team's bigger needs IMO.

And yet somehow we scored 30+ points in 3 playoff games and won the super bowl with those players. Oh and we have this Gronk guy returning from injury. I heard he is pretty good.

 

[borisman]

I think the plan may be to stretch the defense and run the ball more. Once the D moves the DB's closer to the LOS, see ya! right over the top! I just hope we draft John Ross as well

 

[PatsBoy12]

This is stated as speculation based on speculation/rumor from outside sources.

Not sure why this gives the thought any more credence than it already had. It's basically the same as a reply to the original thread started on the rumors.

I'm of the opinion that Belichick doesn't operate with leaks very often. I find it hard to believe this info is getting out. Maybe it's coming from NO's side. But I also find it hard to believe Butler has much leverage here. He has made about $2mill in the NFL to date? That's obviously great money for you and me but not a pro athlete. He's about to double that this year on current terms. I can't imagine he'd sit out and play hard ball when he's a year from being a UFA.

Because they're paying Gilmore a reported 14 mil, and the contract negotiations between Butler and the teams were most recently at a halt.

Unless the Pats are going to let High walk so they can give his portion to Butler, I just don't see how to not feel pessimistic. Heck, I don't see two CB's and a S being paid big dollars, especially considering BB has historically not broken the bank on corners. The great Ty Law is one example, though he was getting up there in mileage.

 

[strngplyr]

I think the plan may be to stretch the defense and run the ball more. Once the D moves the DB's closer to the LOS, see ya! right over the top! I just hope we draft John Ross as well

We're not the Raiders of a Al Davis, we're not drafting someone cause theyre a track star.

 

[thecore762]

Cooks got great skills, he might be our future Edelman replacement, Gillmore had a good year last year, but I prefer Butler, I wish we could keep both for at least another year and give TB the chance to go out there and pick up #6.
Hightower in my opinion is important signing, but Butler holds equal importance! Makes me shiver looking back at the days where our corners sucked so bad...

 

[ashley]

I'd rather have a Butler and Gillmore tandom at cb...our wide outs are pretty good in my opinion. Edleman, Hogan, Amendola, Mitchell....

 

[NG Pats Fan]

I'd rather have a Butler and Gillmore tandom at cb...our wide outs are pretty good in my opinion. Edleman, Hogan, Amendola, Mitchell....

What do you think of Cooks?

 

[strngplyr]

I'd rather have a Butler and Gillmore tandom at cb...our wide outs are pretty good in my opinion. Edleman, Hogan, Amendola, Mitchell....

Only issue is aging, cooks 3 seasons in and younger than Mitchell. Not questioning our WR talent.

 

[patfanken]

It makes NO sense to trade Butler, none at all. You just made a serious investment in Gilmore, and he upgrades your secondary to a top 3 unit, IF Butler is there. Otherwise it will be a struggle just to make it as good as last season.

You keep Butler this season at $4MM, then let him walk with another ring. By then Jones, Jones, and Coleman plus whomever we draft in April will have had a chance to develop more and the winner will be ready to replace Malcolm in 2018.

NO WR is going to improve the offense more than the defense will be weakened, by that trade. It goes against everything BB has practiced in his 17 years here as it pertains to the value of WR's

 

[TB12TheGoat]

Having Cooks would mean less hits on Edelman and Gronk too

 

[varjao]

Can we have only one thread for this subject? A merge is in order.

 

[Rdforty2]

Because they're paying Gilmore a reported 14 mil, and the contract negotiations between Butler and the teams were most recently at a halt.

Unless the Pats are going to let High walk so they can give his portion to Butler, I just don't see how to not feel pessimistic. Heck, I don't see two CB's and a S being paid big dollars, especially considering BB has historically not broken the bank on corners. The great Ty Law is one example, though he was getting up there in mileage.

I can't pretend to know own how all the cap stuff plays out. But you're jumping ahead. We will not have two high paid cb's this year. We will have 1. Gilmore. Butler will make a tad under $4mill. That's absolutely doable. There is the possibility Butler holds put and doesn't sign his tender, or he signs a deal with another team to force our hand. I just don't think either are in his best interest. Sitting out would only delay unrestricted free agency. Signing a deal now likely comes from a poor team. He'll have better options next year. People will know he's a UFA. And will head into free agency knowing such. He'd be one of the biggest guys available. I've mentioned the possibility of tagging him next year and trading him. But, you also have to consider the Garoppolo situation. Talk is, we'd franchise him(and either trade him, or buy another year to see how Brady ages). That gives Butler some potential leverage next year, meaning he'll want to take offer and have a full slate of suitors next year.

Imo, you keep Butler on his restricted tender. Have a dominant corner duo next year. Assess the situation after the year, hopefully after another title.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I can't pretend to know own how all the cap stuff plays out. But you're jumping ahead. We will not have two high paid cb's this year. We will have 1. Gilmore. Butler will make a tad under $4mill. That's absolutely doable. There is the possibility Butler holds put and doesn't sign his tender, or he signs a deal with another team to force our hand. I just don't think either are in his best interest. Sitting out would only delay unrestricted free agency. Signing a deal now likely comes from a poor team. He'll have better options next year. People will know he's a UFA. And will head into free agency knowing such. He'd be one of the biggest guys available. I've mentioned the possibility of tagging him next year and trading him. But, you also have to consider the Garoppolo situation. Talk is, we'd franchise him(and either trade him, or buy another year to see how Brady ages). That gives Butler some potential leverage next year, meaning he'll want to take offer and have a full slate of suitors next year.

Imo, you keep Butler on his restricted tender. Have a dominant corner duo next year. Assess the situation after the year, hopefully after another title.

What I said was in the context of the news surfacing. If not, then I would be inclined to believe something similar to what you've stated. I didn't jump to this conclusion this morning when I read about Gilmore. It wasn't until this report did I start to think in those terms. This could all be the same nonsense we've seen with rumors circulating, but I have no idea right now. All I know right now is this confuses me. I know both players are rising stars, but top-tier corners are very difficult to find and replace. MB has not even hit is prime years yet and has proven to be a valuable cog in the D. I don't know. BB makes these moves all the time, we *****, and then it works out just fine. Maybe that's what will happen yet again.