Free agent WR Brice Butler agrees to two-year deal with Cardinals
Apr 2, 2018, 4:04 PM | Updated: 5:32 pm
Dallas Cowboys' Brice Butler reacts after scoring touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Free agent wide receiver Brice Butler has agreed to a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals, confirms 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Mike Jurecki.
Butler spent the last three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and recorded a career-best 2017 with 15 receptions (24 targets) for 317 yards, including three touchdowns.
Per 98.7 FM’s John Gambadoro, Butler chose the Cardinals over the Bears, Jets, Cowboys and Seahawks.
The fourth most productive receiver on the Cowboys last year, Butler told FOX Sports’ Undisputed at the end of the year that he felt he could be utilized more alongside fellow wideouts Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams.
Joy Taylor: How do you feel about your 2017?
Butler: I feel good about it. Could have been better. Like you said, it was a career high in yards, but it was really just because all my catches were down-the-field throws. As a receiver that is a route-runner, I feel like I could do more things in the offense, but my role was to be the deep-threat guy, the down-the-field guy. So I just had to embrace what they gave me as a role, and I had to do what I had to do.
The Oakland Raiders drafted Butler out of San Diego State in 2013, and the seventh-round pick produced 103 yards and 280 yards in his first two seasons as a professional.
With the Cowboys, he never produced fewer than 219 yards over the course of a season.
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The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Butler will help fill in a void at wide receiver.
While Larry Fitzgerald returns for his 15th season and speedster J.J. Nelson prepares for his fourth year, Arizona lost veterans John Brown and Jaron Brown in free agency. Chad Williams, a third-round draft pick in 2017 who played sparingly, also returns, and the Cardinals added some depth when they claimed former Texan Cobi Hamilton off waivers.
Arizona recently showed interest in fellow free agent receiver Jordan Matthews, but he continues looking for a new home by meeting with the New England Patriots on Monday, according to multiple reports.
Matthews is asking for $5M per year, good luck. Where at point in free agency it’s about minimum deals with incentives. https://t.co/dvbHKcrppD
— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) April 2, 2018
Free agent tight end Troy Niklas, who spent his first four years with the Cardinals, was also visiting the Patriots, reports ESPN’s Field Yates.
