Malcolm Butler may have joined the New England Patriots for optional offseason workouts, and he may be a Patriot in 2017, but that’s not the outcome of his choosing.

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“He wanted to be traded,” CSNNE’s Mike Giardi said on Early Edition Thursday. “He knew what the money was in New Orleans. So when we talk about him, ‘Oh he’s happy. It’s nice that he’s joined his teammates again.’ He had no other choice.

“He wanted New Orleans. He wanted them badly. They couldn’t work out a deal. So what’s he supposed to do now? Sit at home? No, you suck it up. You have to turn yourself back into a Patriot at least for a year, and hope. Who knows, maybe you do your work and maybe they say, ‘Hey, Malcolm, you know what, we can’t give you Gilmore money. But maybe we can find something. Maybe we’ve got $10 or $11 million.”

Butler signed a franchise tender worth $3.91 million during this offseason. There was some thought he’d end up getting traded to the Saints. However, the Saints grew fond of the cornerbacks in 2017 draft class and decided to hold onto their draft picks, which were likely involved in the trade talks for Butler.

So the Super Bowl hero will play on his one-year deal while former Buffalo Bills cornerback Stephen Gilmore will play on his freshly signed five-year, $65 million deal. And while he’ll do what he’s asked, he likely won’t be happy about it. When the offseason rolls around, Butler may scramble for the exits.