Butler’s signing means Patriots can trade him
The New England Patriots signed cornerback Malcolm Butler to a free-agent tender on Tuesday that makes the hero of their fourth Super Bowl victory eligible to be traded.
Butler visited the New Orleans Saints last month, but they declined to sign him to an offer sheet that could have required them to compensate New England with their first-round draft pick, No. 11 overall.
Instead, the Saints are believed to covet Butler in exchange for the No. 32 overall pick they received in the trade that sent Brandin Cooks to New England.
Butler could not be traded until he signed the tender, which would pay him $3.91 million for the 2017 season. Butler, now 27, was an undrafted free agent who during his rookie season intercepted Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson at the goal line in the final minutes of the Super Bowl in 2015 to secure the victory for the Patriots. But New England coach Bill Belichick has balked at giving him the lucrative, long-term security he has been seeking.
The Patriots also signed running back Mike Gillislee of the Buffalo Bills to a twoyear, $6.4-million offer sheet, a person with knowledge of the move said. The Bills have until early next week to match the offer.
Tax increase yields millions for stadium
Taxpayers contributed more than $4.6 million for an NFL stadium in Las Vegas in the first month that a new increase on area hotel taxes went into effect — ahead of projections for the state’s share of the project.
The preliminary tax collection figures from March for the stadium that the Oakland Raiders want to call home were released Tuesday.
The bulk of the money came from resorts and other lodging facilities in and around the Las Vegas Strip, where tourists are paying about $1.50 more per night on their hotel bill for an average-priced room.
The Nevada Legislature approved the tax hike last year to cover $750 million of the $1.9-billion project.
The board overseeing the proposed 65,000-seat domed stadium expects the tax hike to bring in $14.8 million by the end of June. That’s $3.7 million a month. Next fiscal year, officials expect to bring in $49.9 million.
Etc.
The NFL will release its 2017 regular-season schedule Thursday night . ... The Raiders released defensive tackle Dan Williams after two seasons with the team . ... Linebacker A.J. Hawk announced that he will retire as a member of the Green Bay Packers after 11 NFL seasons . ... Detroit Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch is set to announce his retirement after 11 seasons in the league . ... Offensive lineman Garry Gilliam is joining the San Francisco 49ers after Seattle declined to match his restricted freeagent tender. Gilliam started 29 games the past two seasons.