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Pats Posits: Brady Jersey Recovery Means a Butler Speculation Break

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We’re lucky this morning that the rash of speculative Malcolm Butler-to-the-Saints articles have been knocked to the background, if for only a day, because Tom Brady‘s Super Bowl 51 jersey has been found! And crazy enough, they found the Super Bowl 49 jersey with it.

Here’s the scoop from Jay Glazer:

So here’s actually what happened. The FBI and the NFL security, along with Patriots security and the Houston PD, they actually went through all this video to try and track somebody down, and they zeroed in on somebody, a person of interest.

That person of interest, from what I’m told, is an international member  of the media. I don’t believe he’s actually a member of the media, but he was posing as a member of the international media. Got credentialed, it’s been going on for quite some time.

And he actually, from what I’m told, they have him going into the locker room right behind Bill Belichick as if he’s with the team. Goes in there, loiters around a little while and is seen leaving the locker room — this is the video they’re trying to look at right now — seen leaving a little bit later with something under his arm. 

Just another bit more lore for Tom Brady and his Super Bowl aura, and really, in what is slowly developing into the quiet lull in between free agency and the draft, this is just the kind of offseason story to break the monotony. Because let’s face it, we could be hanging on Butler-to-the-Saints for another month since Butler doesn’t have to sign his tender until late April.

More on Butler today:

Does anyone else think that Belichick is just sitting back and letting the Saints do all the dirty work here? Let’s not forget the Pats have way more cap space than the Saints. So if Butler signs his RFA tender, then the Saints present the deal they worked out with Butler to the Patriots, it’s all up to Belichick what he wants to do.

Mike Lombardi is convinced it would have to be for the 11th overall draft pick. As much as  I love Butler, that’s a deal you probably have to make if you’re BB. Especially with no first or second round picks right now. That 11th pick could be traded down and fill out those two rounds with as many as three picks.

So I still think it’s very much up in the air and the Patriots are completely in the driver’s seat, so I’m really not worrying about it too much, even though I do really love Butler and would love to see him stick around. Again, I was shocked to see the Pats had a huge contract to a cornerback when they signed Gilmore, so I really wonder if they’d be willing to do two of those kind of contracts when they’ve traditionally balked at splurging on on the position.

Some speculation as well about Darrelle Revis coming back to the Patriots. I just don’t see it. Even if Butler leaves I’m not sure if Revis is really a better or more affordable option that Gilmore and Rowe as the outside corners. There’s still some question marks as to who plays in the slot, remember that was Logan Ryan‘s primary job by the end of the season. Most people think of a slot corner as the third corner, but Ryan played early downs outside and then moved inside on passing downs. That shows how valuable a slot corner can be, but Revis is certainly not that player anymore.

As for a move to safety the Pats are paying three veteran safeties, where would Revis possibly fit? It was a fun 2014 with Revis, but I don’t think he’s a fit on or off the field at this point.

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  1. It’s a sentimental thing for me with Butler. I like homegrown players, watching them develop and succeed, and no one has been more fun to watch grow than Butler. I remember the preseason of his rookie season and the kid popped immediately out. You always have to be weary of preseason heroes though (Zack Sudfeld everyone) and despite making the team he was basically a special teamer. Then SB hero, expectations explode, and the dude kept getting better and delivering. So you build that relationship as a fan and, you know — look Gilmore could become Revis circa 2009, it just isn’t going to be the same.

    All that said, let’s not act like keeping Butler makes us some combination of the 07 Pats and the 15 Broncos. He makes us insanely good in the secondary, but we’ll still have a depleted draft with some depth holes on the roster. It may not be fun but that rock solid depth in the middle of the roster is kind of why we’re always winning. They need to replenish the draft to get depth at DE and LB, and I guess CB too if Butler is gone. You also can never have enough OL depth. Finally, if Jimmy G is The OneTM, it helps to get some draft depth back so keeping him looks less insane.

    So I’ll be upset and feel this is the worst since Branch in terms of homegrown losses, but the train keeps going. Everyone forgets the sky was falling with the whole defense in FA, and now we’ve kept Branch and High and have added Guy and Gilmore and Ealy. This coulda been a heck of a lot worse.

    • Great thoughts, and I agree. Really hate seeing these homegrown guys, especially ones who played such big roles in SB wins, walk. But yeah, as always Pats will be okay either way.