New Orleans Saints: What if team had lured Malcolm Butler away?
The New Orleans Saints might not be headed to the Super Bowl but Malcolm Butler is. How different would the team’s season look if they had acquired him?
Heading into this Super Bowl week, it’s hard to not think of the “What ifs?” What if Marcus Williams had made that tackle on Stefon Diggs? What if the New Orleans Saints went for a touchdown instead of a field goal? One huge “what if” is about the Saints landing Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler and how it would have affected them.
The Saints and Pats could have done a fair trade with Cooks and Butler. Both were top-tier players and have the same value. For the Saints, it would have been a nice boost on defense while the Pats are still reaping the benefits of Cooks.
The only downside would be the loss of Ryan Ramczyk, who New Orleans got with a pick they received in the Cooks trade. It’s a good thing the Saints drafted him after significant offensive line injuries, though. Then again, the little bit of a boost on defense might have been what they needed.
Bringing Butler in, he’d be an automatic starter. It would have set him up to help Marshon Lattimore adjust to the NFL and perfect his technique. Lattimore didn’t need much help, but some knowledge wouldn’t have been bad. Butler would have also added some experience to the roster, too. Almost all of the defense was in their first or second year with the exclusion of a few guys. Having more veteran experience would have been helpful.
The mistake in Minnesota might not have happened if Butler had been there. After his Super Bowl save for the Patriots, it’s what he’s known for. Obviously, the blown coverage was what it amounted to, but some coverage downfield by Butler could have saved them.
While it’s hard to imagine now, Butler would have been a solid addition and a perfect exchange for Cooks. Either way, the teams both proved successful with the trade. The Patriots got another talented receiver and kept Butler along with heading to a Super Bowl. As for the Saints, they drafted Ramczyk and made it into the playoffs.
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This week, Butler spoke about remaining with the Patriots while praising the Saints. With such an impressive draft and a possible Defensive Rookie of the Year, it’s just cool to look at what could have been.