Texans should target cornerback Malcolm Butler in free agency
An interesting target has become available for the Houston Texans to potentially sign in free agency. New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler. Butler was surprisingly absent during the Super Bowl and by all accounts is highly unlikely to return to New England. With what appears to be a imminent departure, the Houston Texans must make Butler a priority in free agency.
For the past three seasons Butler has been one the NFL’s premier cornerbacks. Butler made a name for himself during New England’s Super Bowl victory over Seattle. After that play Butler became a household name.
Butler has started 47 of the past 48 games he has appeared in. During this time Butler has eight interceptions and 43 pass defenses. While this season was a bit of a down year for Butler, he is still capable of performing at a high level. Pro Football Focus grades Butler as average this past season while ranking him 51st among all cornerbacks.
Due to the strange circumstances surrounding Butler’s absence during the Super Bowl the Texans will need to tread lightly. It will be best for Houston to find out as much as possible before approaching Butler. As long as everything checks out, pursuing the free agent cornerback is a necessity.
The Houston secondary is full of guys who failed to live up to their potential this season. A combination of poor performances combined with the lack of a sufficient pass rush doomed the Texans. Houston had one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. The Texans allowed the ninth-most passing yards per game.
The potential departure of Johnathan Joseph creates a need for a new cornerback. Joseph has been in Houston for seen years but his time in a Texans uniform could be over. This is due to his advanced age and a potentially still expensive contract. Butler is younger and can provide a long term solution to their secondary problem. The Texans can instantly improve their defensive backfield by signing Butler. Making a playoff run is the goal in Houston. Butler can help improve the defense to make that run possible.