Giants LB Victor Butler suspended 4 games for violating PED policy

New York Giants linebacker Victor Butler will be suspended for the first four games of the regular season after violating the NFL’s performance enhancing substances policy, the league announced Friday. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport first reported the suspension on Twitter.

Butler signed a reserve/futures contract with the Giants in early January after playing in two games with the Indianapolis Colts in late October and early November. He also spent a brief time on the Arizona Cardinals' roster last season.

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[daily_cut.nfl]The Colts cut Butler on Nov. 18 and re-signed him Nov. 24. He was released again two days later so Indianapolis could add linebacker Shaun Phillips to the active roster.

Butler had two tackles while with the Colts, both in Week 9 against, coincidentally, the Giants.

Butler was taken in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys after playing defensive end for four seasons at Oregon State, where he had 26 career sacks and 40 tackles for loss.

He spent four years with the Cowboys, playing in 63 games and starting two while posting 89 tackles, 11 sacks, four pass break-ups and four forced fumbles.

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Butler signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Saints in March 2013 as an unrestricted free agent, but tore an ACL during organized team activities in June and spent the season on injured reserve.

Butler, considered a long shot to make the Giants’ final roster in the fall, can participate in OTAs, training camp and the preseason before his suspension takes effect in Week 1.