The other trade chip no one wants to talk about....Macolm Butler, how much is he worth in a trade?

[Simpelton]

How much is Malcolm Butler worth?

How much is he worth? I'll tell you and put it as plainly as I can.

Malcolm Butler is worth....

KEEPING!!!!!!

No first round pick is going to return the same value we're giving up here, especially not in the timeframe when we need that value. The next 2 years are simply more important to us right now then the next 5 years due to Brady's age. It is beyond nonsense to speculate of a Butler trade. It is even less likely that we trade him than it is that we ride out his current contract and just let him go to FA.

We're a team on a shrinking playoff window, keeping stars in their prime and letting them ride out their contract is an acceptable decision right now. We don't need to load up for the draft because we're short-timing right now. BB is gonna ride Brady for the next couple years and then brace for a few transition seasons while we find a new starting QB. That means that if we load up to draft some players it's going to be in any of the next several drafts -- not so much this one.

So if we do trade Butler, do not be shocked if it's for 2018 picks rather than this year's draft. But I really expect we're in go now mode and the best value we can get out of Butler is the value of at least one more productive season in uniform. That value, if it helps lead to another Lombardi, is likely superior to the value of most average first round selections.

There's such a thing as getting too cute for your own good -- trading Butler qualifies IMHO. Butler's greatest value is that he's worth keeping.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Butler will be pissed but they decided to go this route rather than take the extension.

Just to be clear, it may not be that the Patriots decided to do it this way.

 

[Ivan]

Just to be clear, it may not be that the Patriots decided to do it this way.

I'm sure they would rather he signed their extension offer but this is still a much better deal than what Butler really wants. And I doubt what Butler wants is to hit free agency at 29?

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

Butler has been a good soldier throughout. He still is staying classy through all of this. I would like him signed long term but with the Gilmore and McCourty taking up average salaries of around 25 million. I don't think they will spend any more big money on one position. Let him play out his tender this year. Butler will give us a great shot at six. Franchise to trade next year. I like the kid a lot

 

[Gronkowski123]

someone mentioned trading gronkowski. i highly doubt that ever happens.
not with his injury history, his value would be at its lowest right now!

 

[Big Bucks]

I'll say it again. Players like Hightower had to play five seasons to get to UFA, Butler has really played two, but gets credit for three full seasons. The Patriots offered him an extension and he turned it down. I'm guessing the extension was in the 8 million a season range because he hadn't even hit restricted free agency and they were offering to extend him early, which means you take less for the security of getting your millions up front. Butler had every right to reject the deal but if he wants unrestricted free agent money he has to wait until he is an unrestricted free agent to get it. Now he can play for the 3.9 million tender or sign a deal elswhere that the Patriots have the opportunity to match. If he plays the season in the tender he becomes an unrestricted free agent and his price tag goes way way up, however if the Patriots decide to they can set aside 6-7 million this season to help pay his franchise tag next offseason and then tag him for around 17 million, but really they would be paying him 10.5 million a season a two year basis. So if they want to they can keep Butler the next two seasons for about 21-22 million. Butler will be pissed but they decided to go this route rather than take the extension. I really like Butler but I also have a tough time feeling bad for anyone who will ultimately be making 10 million a season.

Surely though you can see the differene, Hightower has earned 15.5m in 5yrs and Butler 1.8m in 3yrs.

In football terms surely you can see that he is underpaid.

 

[unoriginal]

Butler has been a good soldier throughout. He still is staying classy through all of this. I would like him signed long term but with the Gilmore and McCourty taking up average salaries of around 25 million. I don't think they will spend any more big money on one position. Let him play out his tender this year. Butler will give us a great shot at six. Franchise to trade next year. I like the kid a lot

There are about 6 positions on the field worth spending a lot of money on by default. They are:
QB
LT
RT
CB1
CB2
FS

This is because they never come off the field and are very in demand, due to being important positions that are hard to fill.

On offense last year, the only players who played more than 90% of snaps were the offensive linemen. Obviously Brady would also be in that group if he wasn't suspended 4 games.

Edelman (WR1) and Bennett (TE1) played 78% of snaps.

On defense, only McCourty, Butler, and Chung played over 90% of snaps. Ryan was at 86%, as I believe he was "benched" a couple games as the Pats tried out Rowe, Coleman, and the Joneses to find their best lineup.

Hightower was the front 7 player with the most snaps, 68%.

IF the Patriots can sign Butler for Gilmore money long-term, they will do it, regardless of having already paid McCourty and Gilmore. Nobody else they could sign is better than Butler, at a more important position than CB, who will project to play more snaps.

 

[Joey007]

I'm just trying to figure out why BB seems so adamant in shipping off Butler, and my possible reasons that I can think of I find rather upsetting.

 

[Ivan]

Surely though you can see the differene, Hightower has earned 15.5m in 5yrs and Butler 1.8m in 3yrs.

In football terms surely you can see that he is underpaid.

Absolutely, but he and his agent have to understand the process well enough to know how to play it to his best advantage. Whether that means taking the extension early or playing the tag game is up to them but they have to realize that they are playing it with a franchise that rarely loses these battles. And by signing Gilmore the Patriots have stripped Butler of any leverage he may have had in terms of holding out. Ultimately if Butler continues to play at this level he's going to end up making tens and tens of millions of dollars, so his best bet is to get past the butthurt and play his ass off the next few seasons, that's the only thing that guarantees he gets the money he wants.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I don't profess to know all of the ins and outs of salary caps and cap hits, but Gillmore's contract seems pretty indicative of the Patriots ultimately moving on without him. I think he signs his tender and is eventually traded.

I think he should fetch a first round pick. He has yet to reach his prime and had already established himself as one of the best in the game. It sucks that the situation has become what it looks to have become. I get the strong sense that the relationship is strained between MB and the organization. I obviously don't know what Bill will do, but it just seems unlikely that our three higher paid guys would all be in the secondary. We'll see. But I would like a first round pick if it comes down to trading him.

 

[Ivan]

How much is Malcolm Butler worth?

How much is he worth? I'll tell you and put it as plainly as I can.

Malcolm Butler is worth....

KEEPING!!!!!!

No first round pick is going to return the same value we're giving up here, especially not in the timeframe when we need that value. The next 2 years are simply more important to us right now then the next 5 years due to Brady's age. It is beyond nonsense to speculate of a Butler trade. It is even less likely that we trade him than it is that we ride out his current contract and just let him go to FA.

We're a team on a shrinking playoff window, keeping stars in their prime and letting them ride out their contract is an acceptable decision right now. We don't need to load up for the draft because we're short-timing right now. BB is gonna ride Brady for the next couple years and then brace for a few transition seasons while we find a new starting QB. That means that if we load up to draft some players it's going to be in any of the next several drafts -- not so much this one.

So if we do trade Butler, do not be shocked if it's for 2018 picks rather than this year's draft. But I really expect we're in go now mode and the best value we can get out of Butler is the value of at least one more productive season in uniform. That value, if it helps lead to another Lombardi, is likely superior to the value of most average first round selections.

There's such a thing as getting too cute for your own good -- trading Butler qualifies IMHO. Butler's greatest value is that he's worth keeping.

That must have been one huge playoff window because it has been closing for ten years.

 

[Ivan]

I don't profess to know all of the ins and outs of salary caps and cap hits, but Gillmore's contract seems pretty indicative of the Patriots ultimately moving on without him. I think he signs his tender and is eventually traded.

I think he should fetch a first round pick. He has yet to reach his prime and had already established himself as one of the best in the game. It sucks that the situation has become what it looks to have become. I get the strong sense that the relationship is strained between MB and the organization. I obviously don't know what Bill will do, but it just seems unlikely that our three higher paid guys would all be in the secondary. We'll see. But I would like a first round pick if it comes down to trading him.

He's obviously not going anywhere for less than a first, and most likely a high first.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

I'd by far prefer to just keep him, but if we're in the trading mood, 1st or nothing.

 

[maineman209]

I'm just trying to figure out why BB seems so adamant in shipping off Butler, and my possible reasons that I can think of I find rather upsetting.

I haven't seen any evidence that BB is eager to get rid of Butler. Just media speculation and rumor based on "unnamed sources".

 

[Big Bucks]

I'd by far prefer to just keep him, but if we're in the trading mood, 1st or nothing.

One needs to be more specific IMO on wanting a first rounder. For me, anything out of the top 15 means he is worth more than that first. I would want to replace him with the elite at position no questions. So if someone offers say #22, then they need to offer more to get us to #15 would be a high 3rd.

 

[PatsBoy12]

He's obviously not going anywhere for less than a first, and most likely a high first.

Well okay, that's what I said I believed as well, as that was what I thought the OP was asking. I don't get why I had to get a confirmation post.

 

[Ivan]

I'm just trying to figure out why BB seems so adamant in shipping off Butler, and my possible reasons that I can think of I find rather upsetting.

I would compare it to Welker, they brought him in and gave him the chance for great success and he delivered well beyond his price tag. The Patriots then offered what they considered market value and Welker rejected it and forced them to tag him. I think that once a player rejects an extension offer the Patriots go hardball and that is what happened here. I don't think it's personal with Butler, whereas it got personal with Welker, I think this is just how they do business and Butler is probably pissed at it. Once Butler was a restricted free agent the possibility of losing him led the Patriots to look at available free agents at Corner and they saw signing Gilmore as their best option. Now they can trade Butler, take a first if a team signs him, or keep him and have the best secondary in football. Pretty much all are win/win options for the Patriots.

 

[Ivan]

Well okay, that's what I said I believed as well, as that was what I thought the OP was asking. I don't get why I had to get a confirmation post.

You said you would like to see them get a first for him and I said they wouldn't take less than that.

 

[deters]

He's worth a 1, but I want him back d%#*!@t!!!

 

[PatsBoy12]

You said you would like to see them get a first for him and I said they wouldn't take less than that.

Dandy. Thanks then. Carry on, good sir.