There were signs of that old Patriots Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler could still compete at a high level — a tight coverage rep here or pass breakup in 1-on-1s there.
But when you take his whole performance this summer into account, this newer version of Butler just hadn’t matched the play of the old one. His roster case was starting to look like it was resting mainly on experience versus performance.
We’re not going to find out what would have happened now, though, as Butler’s season is reportedly over, according to Field Yates.
The veteran cornerback, who just returned to football after a year off, will reportedly join fellow cornerback Joejuan Williams on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Williams almost certainly wouldn’t have made the team if he’d stayed healthy.
On the surface, this makes an already-uncertain cornerback situation more precarious. The unit lacks elite talent at the position with the departure of Stephon Gilmore last year and J.C. Jackson in free agency this season and appears to be looking at Jalen Mills and Jonathan Jones as its top two cornerbacks on the outside.
However, a closer look leaves some room for optimism.
While Butler and Williams struggled to make an impact this summer, the Patriots’ two rookie cornerbacks, Marcus and Jack Jones, have flashed repeatedly in their first training camps.
Marcus Jones, in fact, has a solid case to be the Patriots’ starting slot cornerback assuming Jonathan Jones remains on the outside, increasingly gaining first-team reps over the last few weeks and displaying sticky, gritty coverage skills.
Also, Terrance Mitchell looks like he can be the kind of veteran depth needed behind the top two corners and a buffer for Jack Jones, whose gambling mentality might need some seasoning before he’s ready for real NFL game action.
On top of that, second-year corner Shaun Wade has emphatically entered the chat in recent days, with multiple passes defended in last Thursday’s preseason game and an interception in joint practices against Carolina on Tuesday. Then, the ever-solid Myles Bryant keeps contributing as a special-teamer, slot corner, and even safety.
The bottom line: as great a story as it would’ve been if Butler had come back and helped the Patriots this year, getting good play from younger talent is ultimately more valuable for New England now and in the future. It’s just unfortunate the youth movement at cornerback is coming at Butler's expense.