Butler signing could be a 2-for-1 special
March 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Jeff Gordon
"The James Butler and Tye Hill career arcs are heading in contrasting directions.
Hill came to the Rams as a first-round draft pick from Clemson in 2006. He arrived amid great expectations. He talked about his Pro Bowl aspirations from Day One.
But injuries and inconsistency have marred his career, prompting many Rams fans to dismiss him as a regrettable draft bust.
Butler came to the New York Giants from Georgia Tech as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He quickly became an achiever, seeing duty in all 16 games as a rookie and working his way toward a starting role on a Super Bowl championship team a couple years later.
In Super Bowl XLII, Butler made 10 tackles as the Giants upset the Patriots. This storybook ascension earned Butler a four-year, $17 million free-agent deal in St. Louis.
New Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo coached him in New York and considers him a critical rebuilding block for this team.
"His knowledge of the scheme, his experience as a starter and his character in the locker room, in my opinion, will go a long ways," Spagnuolo said Wednesday during a media briefing at Rams Park."
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