Patriots DT Butler signs restricted free agent tender

NEW YORK: New England Patriots signed restricted free agent defensive tackle Adam Butler to a contract, the team announced Friday. Butler, who was tendered at the second-round level, is now set to make $3.26 million during the 2020 season. He made a base salary of $645,000 last season, per spotrac.com.

Butler, 26, spent the past three seasons with the Patriots since signing with the club as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt on May 5, 2017. Butler recorded career-high totals in tackles (26), sacks (six) and passes defensed (five) in 16 games, two starts, last season. He has recorded 62 tackles, 11 sacks, seven passes defensed and one forced fumble in 48 career games, eight starts, with the Patriots.

Meanwhile, Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt signed his second-round tender as a restricted free agent, multiple media outlets reported on Friday.

Hunt is now set to make $3.26 million during the 2020 season. He made a base salary of $341,471 last season, per spotrac.com. The 24-year-old Ohio native rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns in eight games last season. Hunt also had 37 receptions for 285 yards and a score.

Hunt missed the first eight games after serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy. He was banned after video surfaced of Hunt kicking and shoving a woman at a Cleveland hotel.

Hunt, who was a third-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2017 NFL Draft, led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards during his rookie season. He has recorded 3,448 yards from scrimmage (2,330 rushing, 1,118 receiving) and 28 total touchdowns (17 rushing, 11 receiving) in 35 career games with the Chiefs (2017-18) and Browns. —Reuters