Getty Malcolm Butler
The New England Patriots placed cornerback Malcolm Butler on injured reserve on Tuesday, and he is now done for the season. The specifics of Butler’s injury are unconfirmed, though ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss wrote that the 32-year-old suffered a hip injury, per a source. Butler, a former Patriots Super Bowl hero, saw his comeback come to an end before it got underway.
Butler helped the Patriots win Super Bowl XLIX with a game-clinching interception, but he retired in 2021 after a stint with the Tennessee Titans. He returned and signed with his original team this offseason after sitting out the year in 2021.
The Patriots hoped Butler would replace J.C. Jackson as the team’s No. 1 cornerback after the latter bolted in free agency for the Los Angeles Chargers.
However, Butler struggled during training camp, and there was some legitimate doubt as to whether he would have made the 53-man roster even without injury. The Patriots have a ton of corners currently on the roster, and it was not without the possibility for Bill Belichick to pull the plug on Butler’s comeback.
Joejuan Williams Was Also Placed on IR
Butler wasn’t the only Patriots defensive back to be placed on injured reserve on Tuesday. Third-year man Joejuan Williams received the same designation. Williams was called “a longshot” to make the roster by NESN’s Dakota Randall after an imperfect training camp this summer followed a disappointing run with the team since he was selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Both Butler and Williams may have played their final game as members of the Patriots. Williams doesn’t turn 25 until December, so he will have an opportunity to catch on with another team once he’s healthy–assuming the shoulder injury that is landing him on IR isn’t career-threatening.
Needless to say, it would be a bit of a surprise if the Patriots didn’t release him before the start of the 2023 season. As for Butler, he is 32 years old, and he already needed to prove he was still capable of playing cornerback at a high level after sitting out a season.
He hadn’t proven that through training camp. Considering he signed a two-year deal that has an out for the Patriots ahead of the 2023 season with just a $250,000 cap hit, it doesn’t seem likely the Patriots would keep Butler on their roster while keeping themselves on the hook for a $2.75 million cap hit next year.
The Patriots are likely set to try to make it work with the guys they still have left on the roster at corner.
What Does the Patriots’ Secondary Depth Chart Look Like Now?
According to ESPN, the Patriots will begin the season with Terrance Mitchell and Jalen Mills as their starting cornerbacks. The depth at the position will come from Jonathon Jones, Shaun Wade, promising rookies Marcus Jones and Jack Jones, as well as Myles Bryant and Devin Hafford. At least two of those players could be released or sent to the practice squad, giving New England six active corners for Week 1.
With two preseason games remaining, there is still time for juggling and repositioning.