Player Signing Patriots sign Malcom Butler

[long distance]

Hope he doesn't get benched for the biggest game of the year again. Ugh!

wouldn't mind that at all

 

[Hammer of Thor]

With this signing, I will now not rule out a Gilmore return.

Jonathan Jones is on the same page as you….

 

[n1997y]

fingers crossed SB, at this point with our depth, he could literally fall off a cliff and still be a top 3 option....

Right now we have:

Mills
J. Jones
Butler
Mitchell
Joequan

I expect a high pick to be added in the draft as well.

Are you forgetting Wade? He could be a pleasant surprise.

 

[n1997y]

This CB group to be above average will need Butler to play very well and the rookie Cb if we draft one will need to be a stud. When was the last time Bill drafted a good CB? I don’t want Cyrus Jones or Duke Dawson 2.0

Doesn’t have to be a draft pick. When is the last time Bill hit on a good UDFA rookie CB? Or, better question, how many times has BB struck gold with UDFA corners? Reminder, the Super Bowl winning subject of this thread is only one of them.

 

[n1997y]

I think the long wait has meant that Flowers hasn't gotten the money he wanted elsewhere. The longer he goes un-signed the more likely the Pats get him back on a team friendly deal.

This could also apply to Stephon Gillmore, if the Jones tweet was enough to recruit him back.

Put the band back together!

 

[Since1960]

I’m still waiting for Stefan Gilmore to walk through that door before getting excited..

 

[kennyb]

People wanted a huge signing, well here it is! Top 3 defense just got better!

Seriously though this is hilarious. Bb shot his wad of cash at jonnu smith and algohor and the compleye jag godcheaux. No money for free agents except washed up 32 year olds out of football.

 

[Zuma]

Are you forgetting Wade? He could be a pleasant surprise.

Wade is an excellent athlete. He wants to play on the outside but he’s been very successful against the slot in college. If he can hold his own there…I’d like to see the speedy Jones platoon at FS as well as CB3. I know that’s not a popular idea here but I prefer to see Jones out there for every defense snap if possible instead of the alternative.

 

[patfanken]

I have always thought that Bill didn't play Malcolm in the 2017 Superbowl because for some untold reason he was in no condition to compete at that high level. That fact that Malcolm himself didn't go postal afterward AND Bill refused to even talk about it, confirmed it for me as does this resigning.

If Bill was being a prick and benched him for spite then there would be no way Malcolm comes back especially for a 2 year show me contract with little or no guaranteed money. I believe, even more now, that Bill not talking about the whys of the improbable benching was more about PROTECTING Malcolm than hanging him out to dry.

As to how this signing projects to the 2022 season, It's an upgrade of the position. Malcolm has always been a solid CB. Good but never great, let alone elite. Even after he left for the Titans he was solid as those PFF grades proved, BUT its now 2 years later and we don't know what Malcolm has left.

Jones coming back will give us a guy who made Hill's life hard when he played the Pats. Most of the damage Hill did against the Pats came on broken plays where Hill and Mahomes excelled. But if the Pats get a CB high in the draft and Wade develops well, Butler will be hard pressed to find a role here, so his place on the roster is no sure thing.

Now I want to say something about JJ Williams. I strongly believe he can be an effective member of the defense IF he is put in the right position.
'
Williams Ran a 4.55 forty at his proday. Had a sub 7 3-cone (6.9) so he has decent short area quickness and marginal speed on the outside. He is also 6"4 with long arms and would be a b!tch to throw over in the trail technique. So given his limitations you DON'T play him in zone coverages. You DON'T make him cover slot guys or quick twitch guys. What you DO do is let him cover big receivers using tough man techniques with help over the top. SOMETIMES. And if he gets good at it allow him to take on even the opponents top receivers and beat them up in that 5 yd area to disrupt the timing of a route, or take on TE's like Gessick.

In other words rather than simply cast him aside acknowledge his limitation and embrace his strengths and use those strengths in specialized situations like some of the ones I've described as well as others I could think of. Each week it would be different against different formations and plaers. Sure he's not a starting CB, but he has unique assets as well that CAN be used.

A key aspect as a coach is to get the most out of the assets he's got available. If I were coaching the Pats defense I'd find ways to use JJ Williams in my defense and I'd work him extra time to improve what he CAN do and limit his exposure to things that he can't.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Put the band back together!

What are alan branch and duron harmon up to nowadays

 

[n1997y]

Wade is an excellent athlete. He wants to play on the outside but he’s been very successful against the slot in college. If he can hold his own there…I’d like to see the speedy Jones start at FS. I know that’s not a popular idea here but I prefer to see Jones out there for every defense snap instead of the alternative.

I’m wondering how fast he is? Was just looking, couldn’t find anything. Seems he had a down year his last year in college. Saw one comment that he would’ve gone in the first round if he’d declared a year early. Definitely talent. Needs attitude. Get him working out with Malcolm and maybe Scrap’s attitude will rub off. Would love to see the two of them spend the summer working out with Mac, KB, and Jonnu.

 

[Zuma]

I’m wondering how fast he is? Was just looking, couldn’t find anything. Seems he had a down year his last year in college. Saw one comment that he would’ve gone in the first round if he’d declared a year early. Definitely talent. Needs attitude. Get him working out with Malcolm and maybe Scrap’s attitude will rub off. Would love to see the two of them spend the summer working out with Mac, KB, and Jonnu.

I think I read that the last year in college he was on the outside and didn’t hold up that well…but he was a rockstar covering the slot in previous years

 

[captain stone]

bargain-basement shopping. I hope it works out. I give credit to BB for giving him another chance, after Bill let the team down.

fify

 

[captain stone]

I really don't think it had anything to do with insulting the coaching staff. That gets you benched for a series not for the whole Super Bowl where your presence is missed badly.

I don't know... Bill & Phatt Matt & Little Steven are such b!tchy pricks, I wouldn't put it past them.

 

[jdlboot14]

Butler may not be as fast, but he's surely an instinctual savvy guy. It's not a sexy strategy, but BB brining in solid vets like Mitchell and Butler and Mills last year isn't the worst situation. Jones back is a big deal in the slot. Now we'll have Wade and a 1st/2nd draft pick CB (presumed) to grow into the top spots. Williams and Bryant are almost certainly gone.

 

[captain stone]

Q) Is Butler better than Williams?

If the answer is "yes", this is a fine signing.

I expect us to draft a CB with our first pick.

Agree.

I'd be shocked if they don't draft a CB.

They should've draft one last year too instead of yet another useless ****ing Safety.

 

[captain stone]

Susanna Hoffs still looks good.

The Bangles?

I ****ed them... Oh!

 

[captain stone]

What they really need is a CB1, but I don't know where they're going to find one.

Through the draft, with their very first pick, somewhere in the 28-37 range I hope... They could've found one in the 2020 draft, but...

 

[Zuma]

Bill & Phatt Matt & Little Steven are such b!tchy pricks

What? Seriously wtf are you talking about? What exactly makes them “b!tchy pricks”? Lol

 

[captain stone]

Are you forgetting Wade? He could be a pleasant surprise.

Wade is an excellent athlete. He wants to play on the outside but he’s been very successful against the slot in college. If he can hold his own there…I’d like to see the speedy Jones platoon at FS as well as CB3. I know that’s not a popular idea here but I prefer to see Jones out there for every defense snap if possible instead of the alternative.

I'm still not ruling out Wade as our Free Safety of the Future... Size, tackling ability/willingness, experience between the hashes...

JJones on the other hand is too brittle for FS... He needs to worry about staying healthy as a Slot CB first...