PHOENIX — Bill Belichick and Sean Payton are fond of doing joint practices together. They enjoy matching wits on opposing sidelines when the Patriots and Saints hook up. And boy, do they love making deals.
The Brandin Cooks swap earlier in the month marked the eighth deal that had been consummated between Belichick and Peyton.
Will Malcolm Butler be the ninth? Is that the end game for the Patriots cornerback and Super Bowl XLIX hero? That’s been the expectation for some time, but will it ever become a reality?
While Payton on Wednesday may have doused some cold water on such a deal happening, it’s still in the cards simply because the Saints coach has the need.