Malcolm Butler Leaves New England Patriots: Report

FOXBOROUGH, MA – New England Patriots cornerback Malcom Butler intends to sign with the Tennessee Titans when free agency starts Wednesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter. Butler will sign a five-year deal worth more than $61 million, the NFL Network is reporting.

Butler, who was the hero of Super Bowl 49 when he intercepted a Seattle pass at the goal line, was curiously benched during the Patriots' recent Super Bowl loss. His benching dominated headlines for weeks, and many were unsatisfied with the non-answers given by coach Bill Belichick.

The Patriots seemed ready to move on from Butler during last offseason, when he was heavily linked to trade talks involving the New Orleans Saints. The Patriots also gave his big payday to free agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Butler will play for rookie head coach Mike Vrabel, the former Patriots Super Bowl-winning linebacker. Butler will start across from Logan Ryan, whom he won two championships with in New England.

It hasn't been an encouraging offseason if you're a New England Patriots fan. It was reported earlier Tuesday that receiver Danny Amendola, one of Tom Brady's favorite playoff targets, will sign with Miami. Left tackle Nate Solder is the team's top remaining free agent, but he is likely to command a lot of attention on the open market.

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