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Patriots release CB Darius Butler


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Patriots release CB Darius Butler

By Mike Reiss

ESPNBoston.com

Updated: September 6, 2011, 6:24 PM ET

The New England Patriots have released cornerback Darius Butler.

Butler, a second-round pick (41st overall) in the 2009 draft, appeared in 29 games over two seasons, registering 54 tackles and three interceptions. After starting five games at left corner in 2009 and registering all three of those interceptions, he started just three games in 15 appearances in 2010.

"I didn't know how it would work out, a trade or release. I'm not really surprised by it," he said. "Things weren't working out with me and the team. It's not really a shocker. You can kind of see the writing on the wall sometimes. It was best for both parties."

Butler got the news directly from coach Bill Belichick.

"That's really the only person in there you need to talk to. He basically told me how he felt about me as a player and a person, and why they were making the move. The details of (the) conversation will stay between me and him," Butler said. "The Patriots are a classy organization. I'm thankful to Mr. Kraft and Coach Belichick for giving me an opportunity."

Butler's career took a U-turn after the first two games of the 2010 season, when he opened the year as a starter but was benched after the second game, a 28-14 loss to the Jets in which he had trouble with receiver Braylon Edwards. He never got the job back, with former undrafted free agent Kyle Arrington seizing the opportunity.

"It kind of went downhill (from there)," Butler acknowledged. "I never faced that kind of adversity when it came to sports, being benched. I just was not playing up to the level I expected to, and the level the team expected. Not seeing the field as much as last year, that was tough."

Butler said one of the highlights of his time with the Patriots was playing close to where he attended college, at the University of Connecticut. Butler is from Florida but called New England his "second home."

Butler sensed his time with the team might be coming to an end but took pride in not altering his approach.

"Even with the feeling that something could have happened, or was likely to happen soon, I never changed my work ethic or how I went into work every day," he said. "I'm ready for a fresh start, a fresh place, a fresh everything. I'm not down by any means. I'm just ready."

Mike Reiss covers the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com.

Follow Mike Reiss on Twitter: @MikeReiss

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By now BB has had tons of practice releasing top round draft picks. So this is another genius move adding it to the long list!

So what is a top draft pick? Anyone before the 5th? :rolleyes:

Most of JN has been saying both Merriwether and Butler are purely (at best) JAGs.

While I would rather have seen Merriwether traded, this was his last season with the Patriots and his 2-3 bone head plays a game out weigh his good play.

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So what is a top draft pick? Anyone before the 5th? :rolleyes:

Most of JN has been saying both Merriwether and Butler are purely (at best) JAGs.

While I would rather have seen Merriwether traded, this was his last season with the Patriots and his 2-3 bone head plays a game out weigh his good play.

How many 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounders has BB had to fire since Scott Pioli left.

I am sure you keep track.

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So what is a top draft pick? Anyone before the 5th? :rolleyes:

Most of JN has been saying both Merriwether and Butler are purely (at best) JAGs.

While I would rather have seen Merriwether traded, this was his last season with the Patriots and his 2-3 bone head plays a game out weigh his good play.

He was a 2nd round pick, not a 5th-7th rounder.

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The rest of the world is down here and Bill Belichick is up there-if only we were all geniuses like him (sigh). The best move he ever made? Tricking the whole NFL into thinking that just because nody else picked Tom Brady that he wasn't going to be any good. He was just toying with us all by only picking him in the 6th round when he knew all along that here was a hall of fame QB.

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He was a 2nd round pick, not a 5th-7th rounder.

Again, where is this imaginary line I should really give two $hits about?

He was the 41st pick in the draft. He was projected to go in the 2nd. He went in the 2nd and did not really develop. The Patriots did not reach like you can say they did with Bethel Johnson. For the 41st pick they got 29 games - 3 INTs and 1 TD of uneven play out of him.

Is he a bust? I don't know, but I would say No. I would give him a C. He is not a Vernon Gholston type bust by any stretch. Or even a Vlad Ducasse.

How many 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounders has BB had to fire since Scott Pioli left.

I am sure you keep track.

Seeing you asked.....Butler and Tate are the first to leave (out of 16) since Pioli left. McKenzie (injury) was never healthy and Taylor Price is still with the team and is entering his second season. has not done anything.

I think Chung, Vollmer, Gronk, Cunngiham and Spikes are doing pretty well so far. Brace, like Butler, just can't seem to realize his potential and will likely be gone soon as well.

Seeing you seem to think Pioli is some savant here are his lastthree drafts with the Patriots.

2008 - Mayo, Wheatley, Crable and O'Connell. Crable was another injury case. Wheatley never developed. O'Connell was a developmental FA that got beat out by Hoyer.

2007 - Meriweather he was productive, but for every 5 good plays he had his bone head being out of play or going for a big hit and taking out a teammate to spring a long TD.

2006 - Maroney, Chad Jackson and Dave Thomas (Not the Wendy's guy). Maroney was productive, but soft and tentative. Jackson? Enough said. Thomas has turned into a decent TE for the Saints.

It is not like Pioli hit a homerun on every pick.

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Is he a bust? I don't know, but I would say No. I would give him a C. He is not a Vernon Gholston type bust by any stretch. Or even a Vlad Ducasse.

No one is suggesting he's a Gholston. And Ducasse was a fellow 2nd rounder who the Jets have shown no intention of releasing in his 2nd year. In fact, he's shown enough progression to land him one of just three of the offensive tackle spots on the roster. Quite the bust.

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No one is suggesting he's a Gholston. And Ducasse was a fellow 2nd rounder who the Jets have shown no intention of releasing in his 2nd year. In fact, he's shown enough progression to land him one of just three of the offensive tackle spots on the roster. Quite the bust.

2 years - 2 games. Wow.

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He has barely touched the field. A second round pick. At least he had more appearances then Jenkins last year.

He's a 2nd round pick at a position where we already have capable starters. Relying heavily on rookies and 2nd year players like Belichick always does these days isn't always the best strategy. Not to mention, we knew he was a project when we drafted him. GFY.

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He's a 2nd round pick at a position where we already have capable starters. Relying heavily on rookies and 2nd year players like Belichick always does these days isn't always the best strategy. Not to mention, we knew he was a project when we drafted him. GFY.

Really?

You are going with the depth excuse.

He is a 2nd round pick. The Jets had a real good OL last year. So, yeah....he was unlikely to be a starter as a rookie.

"Clearly disappointing," coach Rex Ryan said. Despite impressive physical skills and athleticism, the light has yet to go on for Ducasse.

Ducasse did not play because he is not good enough to play. If he showed something he would have been in more than 2 games..

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2 years - 2 games. Wow.

Who cares that he only played two games last year? Vladimir Ducasse was only a rookie coming from a small Massachusetts college program last season. We drafted him as a project to begin with. Our offensive line was and is still so good, where we don't need to speed up the development of an offensive lineman, when Wayne Hunter is very good himself. As of right now, we're developing Vladimir. Deal with it. Just because an offensive lineman isn't an opening day starter during week #1 of his 2nd year in the league, doesn't make him out to be some kind of "bust".

Why are you trolling our fan base to begin with? And a Patriots fan talking about the Jets "failures" during the draft is hilarious.

LT: D'Brickashaw Ferguson - Franchise LT.

LG: Matt Slauson - Up an coming LG. Very talented offensive lineman.

C: Nick Mangold - All-Pro Center.

RG: Brandon Moore (undrafted in 2002, Debuted in 2003 with the Jets) - The NFL's best run blocking RG.

QB: Mark Sanchez - Franchise QB.

HB: Shonn Greene - Feature back.

FB: John "terminator" Conner - Starting fullback.

TE: Dustin Keller - Extremely talented pass catching TE.

CB: Darrelle Revis - One of the greatest shut down CB's of All-Time.

Nickel: Kyle Wilson - Very talented CB, just lacks overall experience. He'll improve and learn from both Revis and Cromartie.

MLB: David Harris - All-Pro MLB. One of the best MLB's out there.

OLB: Bryan Thomas - Just a real solid/productive role playing OLB. He knows and understand his role.

DE: Mike DeVito - Undrafted in 07, debuted in 07 with NYJ - Perfect fit at DE with our 3-4 scheme.

NT: Sione Pouha - Replaced Kris Jenkins without looking back. One hell of a DT/NT. Finished with top 5 D's during consecutive seasons with Pouha holding down the fort.

DE: Muhammad Wilkerson - Only time will tell, but if Rex Ryan says he's good enough to start as a rookie; in Rex I trust.

S: Eric Smith - Drafted back in 2006, finally starting to come into his own as a starter. This kid can HIT HARD, stuff the run, and can be used as a S/LB.

These are just the starters that we've drafted over the years. We also have plenty of backup depth that's been drafted by the Jets. Brad Smith, Kerry Rhodes, Leon Washington, Drew Coleman, Chansi Stuckey and Dwight Lowery are ex-Jets, who we drafted, whom all contributed for us.

No team has drafted as good as the Jets since dating back to 2006. We've built true contenders through the draft.

A Patriots fan harping all over the Jets for draft picks is like a Jets fan making fun of the fact that NE has yet to win a legit super bowl under Brady and Belichick. It's funny. The last time I checked, they haven't **won** a **SB** since Spygate. They also have a losing record during the playoffs since losing draft picks for cheating the league. They've lost their last 3 playoff games. I guess it's hard for NE to win playoff games without knowing which plays are coming up next. I guess it's harder for NE fans to deal with.

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