Clearing up a misconception about Malcolm Butler’s contract
Since Malcolm Butler, the hero of Super Bowl XLIX, has not yet participated in the OTAs sessions that the media can attend there has been some speculation about his absence. The point of this video is to explain why Butler’s absence has nothing do with his contract.
Malcolm Butler was an undrafted free agent who signed his contract on May 19, 2014. Malcom did not receive a signing bonus as part of his 3-year contract. His salaries are $420,000 in 2014, $510,000 in 2015, and $600,000 in 2016. Per the CBA (Article 7, Section 3, Subsection K – A Rookie Contract for an Undrafted Rookie may not be renegotiated, amended or altered in any way until after the final regular season game of the player’s second contract year”. In Malcolm Butler’s case this means that his deal can not be redone after Week 17 of the 2015 regular season even if he and the Patriots wanted to redo his deal. Given this restructure prohibition why would Butler miss OTAs to signify displeasure with his contract? As for ending his current deal and signing Butler to another deal that would not be subject to the two-year rule Butler would first have to clear waivers. It is highly doubtful that all 31 other teams would pass on a chance to have Butler on their roster for the next two years at his minimum salaries. Per another section of the CBA – “No Team and player may agree to renegotiate any term of a previously signed Player Contract for a prior League Year. No contract renegotiations may be done for a current season after the last regular season game of that season”. Taking these sections together into consideration means that if the Patriots and Butler do redo his deal after Week 17 of the 2015 regular season the restructure will only affect his 2016 cap number and not both his 2015 and 2016 cap numbers.
Hopefully, this blog has cleared up the misconception that Malcolm Butler’s absence has anything to do with redoing his 2014 contract.
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A call for a donation
A long-time family friend, my youngest sister’s best friend, is on the board of directors of a soup kitchen and food pantry in Malden, Massachusetts that serves over 400 low-income and homeless families per month. I am asking that if you have found my salary cap pages/blogs useful that if you are able to do so, please make a donation to the Bread of Life soup kitchen/food pantry. Their address is:
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Posted Under: Individual Salary Cap
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