Adam Butler revived his career with the Raiders, who gave him a chance after he spent the 2022 season out of football. Although he joined the team during their “Patriot Way” experiment, the former New England defensive lineman has secured a spot in Las Vegas.
The Raiders are bringing Butler back on a three-year, $16.5 million deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Butler had been pushing for a salary increase from his modest 2024 terms, with $11 million of his new contract guaranteed.
This deal represents a significant pay bump for Butler, who played under a one-year contract worth $1.8 million in 2024. At 31 years old, Butler has proven to be a reliable interior pass rusher, recording five sacks in each of the last two seasons. Pete Carroll had shown interest in re-signing several of the team’s in-house free agents, and Butler was a more affordable option to retain compared to players like Tre’von Moehrig, Nate Hobbs, Robert Spillane, and possibly Malcolm Koonce.
A regular with the New England Patriots from 2017 to 2020, Butler earned a Super Bowl ring before following Brian Flores to Miami in 2021. However, the Dolphins’ new regime let him go in August 2022, and Butler spent that season out of football before landing a reserve/futures deal with the Raiders. Like his former Patriots teammate Jermaine Eluemunor, Butler improved his stock during his time in Las Vegas.
Despite the Raiders’ rough 4-13 season, Butler was one of the few standout players, ranking in the top 20 for pass rush win rate and the top 10 for run stop win rate. He finished sixth in the latter category, matching his career high with eight tackles for loss in 2023. Butler had been a reserve during his Super Bowl appearances with the Patriots in the late 2010s but earned a starting role with the Raiders in 2024, making 16 starts after having no starts in 2023. He will look to build on this success in 2025 and continue to contribute to Patrick Graham’s defense.
