REPORT: Raiders Cannot Overlook Underrated DT Adam Butler

The Las Vegas Raiders are under new leadership and could look like a completely different team next season. After hiring John Spytek as their new general manager and Pete Carroll as their head coach, the Raiders will now shift their focus to building out Carroll's coaching staff and making what will likely be many changes to their roster.

The Raiders did a solid job of addressing their two most pressing needs with the hire of Spytek and Carroll. Now, the hard work begins, which will include critical decisions for the new-look Raiders' front office.

After finishing the season 4-13, there is no denying the Raiders need help. This is especially true considering how many of their best players are set to hit free agency this offseason.

Linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo are set to hit free agency. So are safety Tre'von Moehrig and cornerback Nate Hobbs.

However, Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler is also set to hit free agency. The veteran tackle has spent seven years in the league, with the last two being in Las Vegas.

They were the best two seasons of his career, with this season being the best of his career. The veteran defensive tackle finished the season with 65 tackles, the most of any Raiders defensive lineman this season.

Ben Rolfe of the Pro Football Network ranked the top 100 free agents of this offseason. Rolfe ranked Butler as the 71st-best free agent on the market.

"The long-time rotational pass-rushing defensive tackle had his second straight season with five sacks for the Raiders," Rolfe said. "Adam Butler saw the largest role of his eight-year career in 2024 thanks to mega-free agent signing Christian Wilkins playing only five games with a foot injury. After never averaging more than 34 snaps per game, Butler averaged 47.6 snaps per game in 2024. He did make strides in run defense, which has generally been a weak spot for the undersized defensive tackle. Butler made a tackle on 15.9% of his run defense snaps, his highest rate in five seasons in which he’s played at least 100 snaps against the run.

"However, Butler’s pass-rushing efficiency did dip with the added workload, as his pressure rate fell from 8.0% in 2023 to 6.4% in 2024. Butler will turn 31 in April but has been effective enough to warrant another contract as a second or third defensive tackle."

While teams interested in Butler will rightfully wonder if Butler's last two seasons were a productive of him being up for a new contract, what Butler did this season on a defensive line that was missing three of its best players was proof of his value to a team.

It is just a matter of whether that team will be the Raiders or not.

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