Getty Malcolm Butler
The Philadelphia Eagles have an abundance of talent at the cornerback position heading into the 2022 campaign. Starters Darius Slay and James Bradberry are Pro Bowlers, backed by stud nickel Avonte Maddox. That group can certainly state a strong case for the best cornerback trio in football.
Behind them? Well, the depth chart reads like a college commencement ceremony. It’s full of potential, most of it untapped and raw. Zech McPhearson and Josh Jobe are in line to be the first backups, assuming Josiah Scott stays at safety. Meanwhile, Tay Gowan and Kary Vincent Jr. should see a bevy of snaps on Saturday night in the final preseason game in their last attempts to secure roster spots. So it’s not out of the question for the Eagles to scan the waiver wire for veteran reinforcements.
One intriguing name on that list is Malcolm Butler, the one-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl hero for the Patriots. New England cut him loose and reached an injury settlement with him. Butler is dealing with an undisclosed ailment thought to be a hip problem. The 32-year-old cornerback is free to sign with any team in free agency, although he won’t be able to suit up until mid-to-late October.
The injury settlement negotiated between the Patriots and CB Malcolm Butler is for about 6 regular season weeks.
While Butler can sign with another team at any point now, that settlement suggests he would be available to play around mid-to-late October.
Philadelphia could sign him and stash him on the Reserve/PUP list where he wouldn’t count against a roster spot. The deadline for making that decision is August 31. The major question is, does Butler have anything left in the tank?
He hasn’t played since Tennessee released him following the 2020 season, followed by a brief retirement in 2021. Butler did record four interceptions (tied for fifth-best in the league) for the Titans in 2020 while holding opposing quarterbacks to an 83.2 passer rating when targeting him. That was only two years ago; Howie Roseman would be wise to get Butler into the building to gauge his interest in playing this year.
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Butler Benched vs. Eagles in Super Bowl LII
Butler will forever be connected to Philadelphia due to his mysterious benching in Super Bowl LII. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick refused to play a guy who had started 16 regular-season games that year, plus two playoff contests. Why? No one has ever uncovered the reasoning behind the move, with Butler openly venting about his absence.
“They gave up on me,” Butler told ESPN’s Mike Reiss and Adam Schefter, via Bleacher Report. “F***. It is what it is. I don’t know what it was. I guess I wasn’t playing good or they didn’t feel comfortable. I don’t know. But I could have changed that game.”
Malcolm Butler was benched for violating curfew
The Eagles carved up New England’s secondary in the game and walked out with a 41-33 victory, their only time hoisting the Lombardi Trophy to date.
Genard Avery Signs with Bucs, Steelers Grab Elijah Riley
A pair of former Eagles found new homes earlier this week. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Genard Avery after he was released by Pittsburgh. Avery saw action in 16 games for the Eagles in 2021, including 12 starts mostly at strongside linebacker. He recorded 43 tackles, with one sack and two quarterback hits last season.
Thank you Philly 🦅 💚
Meanwhile, the Steelers picked up former Eagles safety Elijah Riley. He played nickel corner and free safety in his first Steelers practice and got into a “mini scrum,” according to TribLive. Riley, a Doug Pederson favorite, has started seven NFL games during productive stints with the Eagles and New York Jets.
New Steelers safety Elijah Riley has a saying: ‘the only thing guaranteed is change’. He lives by it.
“I’ve got to be quick on my toes and adjust. The only thing that is guaranteed is change. So, that’s just going, putting my best foot forward, and controlling what I control.