Cardinals sign Pro Bowl cornerback Malcolm Butler

Malcolm Butler (Wikimedia Commons)

The Arizona Cardinals continued to be busy in the offseason in signing veterans on their defense. On Thursday, on the day when sports analysts were busy studying the trades made at the NBA trade deadline, the Cardinals signed former Pro Bowl cornerback Malcolm Butler of Vicksburg, Mississippi, to a one-year deal worth $6 million.

The Cardinals become the third team Butler has played for. He previously played for the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans. This past season with Tennessee, Butler had four interceptions for 111 yards, a career-high 100 combined tackles (86 solo tackles and 14 assisted tackles), 14 pass deflections, and one tackle for a loss. In his career which has included four seasons with the Patriots and three seasons with the Titans, Butler has had 17 interceptions for 298 yards and two touchdowns, 82 pass deflections, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries for two yards, three sacks, 406 combined tackles (344 solo tackles and 62 assisted tackles), nine tackles for a loss, and four quarterback hits.

Butler, who was selected to the Pro Bowl for the 2015 season while with the Patriots, will always be known and remembered by his key interception on the goal line to win the New England Patriots the 2015 Super Bowl. In a 28-24 Patriots win over the Seattle Seahawks, Butler picked off a Russell Wilson pass to guarantee a New England win. It will go down in history as one of the most electrifying plays ever in the Super Bowl. Butler then won a second Super Bowl with the Patriots in 2017.

Butler becomes one of two veteran defenders the Cardinals have acquired in the offseason. The other is defensive end J.J. Watt, who Arizona signed from the Houston Texans. Butler is to replace cornerback Patrick Peterson in Arizona. Peterson signed a one-year deal worth $10 million with the Minnesota Vikings on March 26.

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