Prior to the 2017 season, cornerback Malcolm Bulter was unable to come to terms with the New England Patriots on a new deal. Needless to say, it may have been a sign of things to come later on in the year.

Butler has since signed with the Tennessee Titans as a free agent this offseason. According to ESPN NFL Insider Field Yates, his new deal was comparable to the one New England offered prior to last season:

Some context on Malcolm Butler’s reported 5-year $61M deal with Titans: the Patriots’ final offer before last season was for 6-years, $66M, with $25.5M guaranteed (five years on top of his restricted free agent tender of $3.91M). Same neighborhood.

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Butler was the hero of Super Bowl XLIX thanks to his game-winning interception. He soon proved himself as a Pro Bowl-caliber corner the very next season and was hoping to get paid as such prior to the 2017 campaign.

During that time, the Patriots added more depth opposite of Butler with the signing of cornerback Stephon Gilmore to a five-year, $65 million contract that includes $31 million guaranteed. Butler voiced his displeasure with the organization for their willingness to pay Gilmore almost immediately while he was still negotiating a deal of his own.

While Gilmore's deal was still a bit more lucrative, Butler's offer was still essentially in the same ballpark. However, perhaps it was best that he never followed through on that offer given his non-existent role with the defense in Super Bowl LII. He now has the chance at a clean slate with the Titans.