Report: Adam Butler Signs Restricted Tender With Patriots
BOSTON (CBS) -- Adam Butler is back in the fold for the New England Patriots. The fourth-year defensive tackle signed his restricted free-agent tender on Friday, according to ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss.
The tender is worth $3.26 million, according to Reiss.
New England signed Butler as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt in 2017, and he made the team following an impressive training camp and preseason. He's since become a solid depth player along the defensive line for the last three seasons, playing in all 48 games while racking up 62 tackles and 11 sacks.
Butler had a career year in 2019 when he played 47 percent of New England's defensive snaps. He rewarded the Patriots for that increase in playing time with six sacks (including a pair of two-sack games) and 26 combined tackles. He also defended five passes throughout the year.
In addition to playing in every regular season game since he joined the Patriots -- including eight starts -- he's also appeared in all seven playoff games, accumulating two sacks, four QB hits and seven tackles.
After improving in each of his three seasons, Butler has a chance to become a starter for the Patriots in 2020.