Donald Butler could dazzle the Arizona Cardinals
By Jim Koch
After failing to live up to career expectations, ILB Donald Butler is out to prove his worth to the Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have been down this road quite a few times before. Bring in veteran players who other teams have given up on, convincing them that Arizona is the place they ought to be. The Cardinals’ latest reclamation project is an inside linebacker by the name of Donald Butler.
Released by the San Diego Chargers this past March, Butler is a former third-round draft pick out of the University of Washington. He played well enough in San Diego to earn a mega-deal contract, signing the deal in the spring of 2014, but failed to meet expectations.
By the end of last season his playing time had diminished severely. There were whispers that Butler wasn’t giving full effort on the field.
Apparently teams were scared off by the rumors that were out there. He didn’t have many, if any, suitors until the Cards called him. But, as the saying goes, “It only takes one”.
General manager Steve Keim obviously sees potential in the 27 year old. Early on in his career Butler showed versatility, a tackling machine who was good in coverage and could also get to the quarterback. And he wasn’t necessarily signed just for depth.
While converted safety Deone Bucannon has one of the inside spots nailed down, incumbent starter Kevin Minter hasn’t overly impressed starting next to him. Butler will make a strong push for Minter’s starting job in camp and may very well come away with it.
So Keim may have worked some magic again. History says Butler may be just the type of player who finds paradise in the desert. A discarded veteran brought in to sign a “one-year, prove-it” deal, the type of deal that Keim has perfected in Arizona.