MINNEAPOLIS — Malcolm Butler went from the hero of the Patriots' Super Bowl 49 win to the zero of the Patriots' Super Bowl 52 loss.
It's a virtual lock that Butler has played his last down for New England. He'll become an unrestricted free agent in March, fresh off being benched in the Super Bowl.
STEELE: Benching Butler among worst coaching mistakes in S.B. history
Butler all but confirmed it himself, sharing his reaction to ESPN reporters to what his coach Bill Belichick called a "football decision."
Patriots’ CB Malcolm Butler to ESPN’s @MikeReiss: “They gave up on me. F—. It is what it is.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 5, 2018
There's no doubt Butler's value and cachet was a bit inflated during his time with the Patriots. He developed from undrafted rookie into steady starter after his famed interception of Russell Wilson to seal a Super Bowl victory in 2015. Butler earned a trip to the Pro Bowl with solid coverage in the '15 season, and he was a terrific ballhawk in 2016.
But Butler struggled in 2017. He was exposed as not being a true shutdown corner at 5-11, 190 pounds. Playing opposite newly signed No. 1 corner Stephon Gilmore, there was a glaring difference between the two. Now 27, Butler will hope to find a happy home on a new team in a more comfortable role.
So, where might Butler play in 2018 and beyond? Here are five teams that could use services.
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NFL free agency: What's next for Malcolm Butler?
Chicago Bears
The Bears have a solid big corner in veteran Prince Amukamara and they retained defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who likes to mix up his coverage. That would allow Butler to get the best out of his zone and man-to-man skills without being overwhelmed.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders were downright terrible at this position in 2017, and Jon Gruden is the type of coach who's ready for a rebound experiment. It's a position of dire need and Butler feels like a good fit for new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther's hybrid scheme on the back end. Guenther did great work with defensive backs while under Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati, notably with the similarly sized William Jackson.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers like the promise of Ahkello Witherspoon (6-2, 195) coming off a solid rookie season, and could use a complementary cover man on the other side. They have plenty of money to spend and should want to address corner in free agency.
Seattle Seahawks
This would feel a bit weird given Butler's high point in history, but assuming Richard Sherman comes back healthy and is able to play at a high level in his age-30 season, the team would be in the market for a No. 2 corner. Butler should be a target for Ken Norton Jr. and Pete Carroll.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs have 2016 first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves III returning from a season-curbing hamstring injury, and 34-year-old Brent Grimes will be a free agent. They could explore bringing in Butler for a struggling unit short on depth.
