FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Cornerback Malcolm Butler headlines the New England Patriots' group of restricted free agents, and barring a major surprise, he will be tendered an offer at the highest level by Thursday's deadline. The exact dollar amount of that offer is now known: $3.91 million.
Official restricted free agent tender values for 2017:
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 6, 2017
1st round: $3.91M
2nd round: $2.746M
Low/original round: $1.797M
That's a well-deserved raise from the $600,000 that Butler earned in 2016, although a compelling case could be made that Butler is deserving of a more lucrative extension. After coming close to striking an extension last year, perhaps the sides can push it over the goal line this year.
If they don't, Butler could be signed to an offer sheet by another team. If the Patriots elect not to match the offer sheet, they would receive a first-round draft choice in return and Butler would be playing elsewhere in 2017.
The team's other two restricted free agents are offensive tackle Cameron Fleming and tight end Michael Williams.
Fleming entered the NFL as a fourth-round draft choice and served as the Patriots' top swing tackle in 2016. He projects to receive a low tender of $1.797 million, which means if a team signs him to an offer sheet and the Patriots don't match, the club would receive a fourth-round draft choice in return.
Meanwhile, Williams entered the league as a seventh-round pick. Because he is coming off a torn ACL that cost him all of 2016, a more likely scenario is that the Patriots forgo a tender offer and attempt to negotiate a different contract with him at a number below the low tender of $1.797 million.
