Malcolm Butler saga is just getting started

The Malcolm Butler trade chatter has died down quite a bit over the past week, but that appears to only be temporary.

The New England Patriots' restricted free agent cornerback attracted the most attention from the New Orleans Saints this offseason as he went down for a visit with the team and for a moment it appeared like a move was imminent.

Then he left the facility without the two sides coming together on an offer sheet and not a lot of traction was made beyond that.

However, Albert Breer of the MMQB said on CSNNE on Sunday night that Butler in a Saints uniform in 2017 is still very much a possibility.

"I still think there is a good chance he goes to New Orleans," said Breer. "I think it would be in that one week window when he comes off of the market, obviously still now he's on the RFA market. Once we get a week before the draft he can't even talk with other teams anymore. By then, he knows what's out there, he feels comfortable, he signs the (tender) and then the Patriots can start talking to teams in the week leading up to the draft.

"At that point I think the Saints put something in front of the Patriots and we'll see whether or not they can consummate a deal."

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Earlier this offseason the Patriots placed a first round tender on Butler which means that a team that signs him to an offer sheet is at risk of losing their first round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft if New England elects not to match their offer.

That's why New Orleans backed off of their pursuit of Butler because they were unwilling to risk losing the No. 11 overall pick they currently own.

Also, because Butler has yet to sign his tender, New England cannot negotiate a trade for him with other clubs, per league rules.

Once he does that, the Patriots will be able to engage other clubs for the corner and that is why Breer still thinks it's more likely Butler will be playing in the Big Easy as oppose to Foxboro come Week 1.

"I think it's close, but I still think it's most likely New Orleans than New England because I think New Orleans is motivated to go and get this player and New Orleans obviously has a spare first round pick now because of the Brandin Cooks trade," he said.

Butler has been with the Patriots since signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2014. That season his biggest impact was intercepting Russell Wilson at the goal line in Super Bowl XLIX to clinch the team it's fourth title in franchise history.

Following that historic moment he's helped the team win another Super Bowl and evolved into a true No. 1 corner.

While it appeared to have subsided for the moment, the way Breer is talking it seems like the Malcolm Butler saga is just getting started.

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