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New England Patriots CB Malcolm Butler joins voluntary workouts

By The Sports Xchange
New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) is congratulated by safety Patrick Chung (23) and former cornerback Logan Ryan (26) after a second quarter fumble recovery against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on December 24, 2016. File photo by Matthew Healey/UPI
New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) is congratulated by safety Patrick Chung (23) and former cornerback Logan Ryan (26) after a second quarter fumble recovery against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on December 24, 2016. File photo by Matthew Healey/UPI | License Photo

Given the presumed separation from the New England Patriots hovering over cornerback Malcolm Butler most of the offseason, it was a mild surprise not to see his name on the trade and transaction wire during the 2017 NFL Draft.

But after an unsettling few months on the block, including an in-person visit and dinner with the New Orleans Saints' top brass, Butler was back at voluntary workouts in Foxborough, Mass., on Wednesday.

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A restricted free agent in March, Butler signed his $3.91 million tender for 2017 well after watching Buffalo Bills unrestricted free agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore join the Patriots on a five-year, $65 million deal.

Butler flirted with the Saints, but New England was reportedly unwilling to part with Butler for anything less than a first-round pick.

The undrafted free agent-turned-Super Bowl hero can become a free agent at the end of the upcoming season, and it appears he will play out 2017 with the Patriots.

New Orleans used its top pick on Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore. The 11th overall pick in the 2017 draft was the top-rated cover man according to NFLDraftScout.com.

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