The New England Patriots are bringing back a familiar face on the defensive line.
Per Mike Reiss, the team has placed a second-round tender on defensive tackle Adam Butler, paying him $3.26 million for the 2020 season.
Fourth-year DT Adam Butler has signed his restricted-free agent tender with the Patriots. The tender is worth $3.26 million. Butler's interior pass rush, among other things, aided the defense last season (6 sacks).
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) April 17, 2020
Butler, 26, was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt and improved every season he has played in New England.
In his rookie season, the defensive tackle recorded two sacks. With three and six sacks coming in his next two years.
The former Commodore has appeared in 16 games in all three of his seasons thus far in New England, capturing a Super Bowl ring in 2018.
In 2019, Butler recorded two sacks in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins and Week 8 against the Cleveland Browns.
There will be a little bit of competition on the line as the team also brought in former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Beau Allen on a two-year deal worth $8 million.
