The Patriots made the move to retain one of their corners for the 2017 season on Friday, but it wasn't Malcolm Butler.
The team announced that it has re-signed exclusive rights free agent corner Justin Coleman, which was essentially an inevitability. As an exclusive rights free agent, Coleman's choices were to play for the Patriots in 2017 or not at all.
Coleman, 23, has played in 20 games and made three starts in his two seasons with the Patriots. He now makes up a depth chart at cornerback in New England that includes Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, Cyrus Jones and Jonathan Jones.