Signed in the wake of the Patriots poaching Davon Godchaux, Adam Butler is no longer with the Dolphins. The former Patriot received his walking papers Tuesday.
A failed physical designation came with the release. The Dolphins signed Butler to a two-year, $7.5MM deal in 2021. With no money being guaranteed in Year 2, the team will save $4.15MM with this transaction.
Butler logged a career-high 53% snap rate last season. Despite being used mostly as a rotational player, Butler’s 591 snaps marked a 100-plus-play increase on his single-season Patriots usage. Although Butler played in all 17 games, his production dipped in Miami.
Butler, 28, tallied two sacks and a career-low 17 tackles. His two tackles for loss also matched a career-low figure. Pro Football Focus rated Butler outside the top 70 among interior D-linemen. The Dolphins did not use any draft choices on their defensive line but did sign veteran John Jenkins this offseason.
A former UDFA, Butler recorded 10 sacks in his final two New England seasons. Prior to that, he worked as a regular up front for two Super Bowl-bound New England teams. He registered sacks against the Titans and Jaguars as a rookie during the Pats’ AFC playoff run. Butler worked under Brian Flores during his Patriots tenure. Although the Dolphins did not change defensive coordinators upon firing Flores, with Josh Boyer staying in place, one of Flores’ two-city charges is out of the picture.