The Dolphins worked out Butler on Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
Butler was last let go from New England with an injury settlement in August, but his recent workout in Miami suggests he's moved past the undisclosed injury that landed him on IR. The 32-year-old will now wait for another opportunity for snaps in the NFL, as he hasn't suited up in a game since his 2020 tenure with the Titans.
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Patriots' Malcolm Butler: Lands on IR
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Butler (undisclosed) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
Butler, who spent the first four years of his career in New England, joined the Cardinals last season after three years in Tennessee, but he ultimately decided to retire without playing a regular season game for Arizona. He returned to the Patriots on a two-year deal in March with expectations that he'd compete for a starting gig. Now Butler will be forced to miss a second straight season, this time due to an undisclosed injury. The 32-year-old did play in the Patriots' preseason loss to the Giants on Thursday and recorded a tackle.
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Malcolm Butler: Parts ways with Arizona
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Butler was released from the reserve/retired list by the Cardinals on Thursday, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.
Butler decided to retire before the start of the 2021 campaign after signing with Arizona last spring, but he's apparently considering resuming his career after taking a year off. The veteran cornerback figures to receive a fair amount of interest as a free agent should he opt for a comeback.
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Cardinals' Malcolm Butler: Opts for retirement
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The Cardinals placed Butler on the reserve/retired list Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
A report from Mike Garafolo of NFL Network emerged Monday that Butler was mulling retirement as he tends to a personal matter. Indeed, Butler has opted for that route, thus saving the Cardinals a spot on the 53-man roster. In his stead, it appears the team plans to roll with Byron Murphy and Robert Alford (undisclosed) as its top two cornerbacks.
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Cardinals' Malcolm Butler: Replacing Peterson in Arizona
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Butler is signing a one-year contract with the Cardinals, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Released by the Titans earlier this month, Butler lands on his feet in an Arizona defense that's desperately in need of cornerback help. The Cardinals recently lost Patrick Peterson to the Vikings, leaving 32-year-old Robert Alford and 23-year-old Byron Murphy as their top options at the position. Butler is also on the older side (31) for an NFL cornerback, but he's coming off a solid 2020 season with 100 tackles (86 solo), 14 pass defenses and four interceptions in 16 games. While the gaudy tackle numbers were a new feature last season, Butler does have a six-year streak with multiple INTs and nine or more PDs.
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Titans' Malcolm Butler: Late injury add
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Butler (quadriceps) was a limited participant during Thursday's practice, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reports.
The specifics surrounding the injury remain unclear, however, the fact that Butler was a late addition is certainly not a great sign. The 30-year-old was solid in Week 1, only surrendering 21 yards on three receptions in situations when he was the primary defender. If Butler fails to suit up in Week 2 against Jacksonville, Kristian Fulton or Chris Jackson would likely be in line for a start.
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Titans' Malcolm Butler: Out with wrist injury
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Butler won't return to Sunday's game at Carolina after suffering a wrist injury, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
Butler unofficially had two passes defensed before exiting the game. Adoree Jackson and LeShaun Sims should see increased snaps in his absence.
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Titans' Malcolm Butler: Records three interceptions in 2018
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Butler tallied 69 tackles (60 solo, including a sack) and 12 passes defensed -- including three interceptions -- while playing in all 16 games for the Titans in 2018.
Butler had a career high in tackles in his first year with Tennessee, despite the lowest snap total he's seen in some time. After averaging over a thousand defensive snaps per season the last three years, he only played 836 for the Titans, though he managed to hover around his career averages in most measures. He'll figure to come back as a starting corner once again in 2019 and look to maintain his quality play.
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Titans' Malcolm Butler: Cleared to face Jets
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Butler (concussion) has cleared the concussion protocol and is ready to play Sunday against the Jets, Erik Bacharach of The Tennessean reports.
Butler logged a limited practice Wednesday, and after practicing fully Thursday, it seemed all he needed was the final go-ahead to clear the league's concussion protocol. The 28-year-old has yet to miss a full game and has logged 46 tackles (42 solo) and one interception across 11 contests.
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Patriots' Malcolm Butler: Full participant Thursday
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Butler (illness) was a full participant at practice Thursday.
Butler missed Super Bowl Opening Night due to his illness and was limited at practice Wednesday. His full participation seems to indicate he won't be hindered at all by the illness, barring further setback, come time for Sunday's game.
Butler and the Saints have agreed to a multi-year contract, but New Orleans appears unlikely to trade for him given the Patriots' steep asking price, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.
Butler was a restricted free agent and visited the Saints last month to discuss terms on a long-term deal. Despite the player and team apparently reaching an agreement, the Pats' trade demands have since cooled New Orleans' interest in completing a transaction. After Butler signed his one-year, $3.91 million tender last week, though, he's now under contract with New England for this season, thus enabling the team to trade him if another club is willing to surrender the assets it is seeking in return. If, as it currently appears, that doesn't come to fruition, the Patriots now have the enviable fall-back plan of trotting out Butler and fellow Pro Bowler Stephon Gilmore as their starting cornerback duo.
Butler has signed his restricted free-agent tender with the Patriots, which is worth $3.91 million for the 2017 season, ESPN's Mike Reiss reports.
While Butler is now under contract with the Patriots for the coming season, it's not out of the question that he could be traded leading up to, or during, the NFL Draft later this month. The Saints remain a possibility on that front. If Butler, who joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2014, stays put, he'd combine with newcomer Stephon Gilmore to form a quality cornerback combo in the team's secondary. Butler is coming off a 2016 campaign in which he recorded 63 tackles and four picks.
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Patriots' Malcolm Butler: Set to visit Saints
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Butler is slated to visit the Saints on Thursday, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
The Patriots have placed a first-round tender (worth $3.91 million) on Butler, a restricted free agent, thus allowing them the opportunity to match any offer sheet that the cornerback might receive. That said, both NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Mike Reiss envision a potential scenario in which Butler and the Saints strike some sort of deal that would then be facilitated and moved forward by a trade between New England and New Orleans. In his third season with the Patriots, Butler recorded 63 tackles and four picks in 2016. While the Patriots would presumably prefer to retain Butler for the right price, the big money addition of fellow cornerback Stephon Gilmore does give the team some flexibility in dealing with Butler, who earned $600,00 this past season.
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Patriots' Malcolm Butler: Records 63 tackles and four picks in regular season
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Butler finished the 2016 regular season with 63 tackles and four interceptions over the course of 16 games.
Butler, who joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent prior to the 2014 season, earned plenty of attention for his game-saving pick that sealed the team's Super Bowl XLIX win. Since then, he's settled in as the team's starting cornerback and is now poised to earn a big raise this offseason, with restricted free agency on tap for the 26-year-old.
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Patriots' Malcolm Butler: Active for Week 15
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Butler (hip) is active for Sunday's game against the Broncos.
Butler was limited throughout the week, but there were never any true concerns that he wouldn't be suiting up in Week 15. He will look to slow down Demaryius Thomas and the Broncos' passing game.
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Patriots' Malcolm Butler: Questionable for Week 15
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Butler (hip) is listed as questionable for Sunday's matchup with the Broncos.
Butler was limited in practice throughout the week and is likely on the probable side of questionable. Look for his status to be confirmed prior to kickoff Sunday.
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Patriots' Malcolm Butler: Limited in practice Wednesday
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Butler (hip) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice.
Butler has yet to miss a game this season, but his status for Week 15's matchup against the Broncos is currently up in the air. The hip issue doesn't appear to be anything too severe, so he'll likely attempt to play through any lingering pain against a rival, with Justin Coleman providing additional depth at cornerback.
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Patriots' Malcolm Butler: Active Sunday
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Butler (ankle) is active for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
Butler was a limited participant in practice throughout the week, but given he avoided any kind of severe ankle injury, he'll be on the field Sunday for the Patriots' defense. He'll be the No. 1 option at corner, with Justin Coleman potentially receiving additional reps if Butler suffers a setback.
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Patriots' Malcolm Butler: Continues to improve
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Butler was on the field for all 71 of the Patriots' defensive snaps in Monday's win over the Bills, ESPN's Mike Reiss reports.
As was fellow starting cornerback Logan Ryan, with Reiss noting that the duo continues to "compete at a high level," while adding that "their growth as a 1-2 combination has been easy to see in recent weeks." Through 10 games to date, Butler -- who recorded three tackles Monday -- has notched 46 tackles and one pick.
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NFLPA files formal complaint over Malcolm Butler's benching
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The NFLPA filed a formal complaint Thursday over the punishment of Patriots safety Malcolm Butler during team OTAs, per the Boston Globe.
Butler was late to a team practice during OTAs due to a flight being delayed due to inclement weather. The team responded by preventing him from practicing. But OTA sessions are considered voluntary by the NFL, which raises issues about the team's handling of the situation.
Butler, who declined to speak on the benching at the time, is not involved in the complaint process.
