Raiders offseason priorities: 3 key players to re-sign, avoid roster holes
By Brad Weiss
2. Adam Butler, Defensive Tackle
The Las Vegas Raiders defense was one of the surprise stories of the 2023 NFL season, as the group finished out the year as a top-10 unit. Led by Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby, all three levels of the Raiders defense took a major step forward, even if some position groups had to used different players from time to time.
No position was more evident of this than defensive tackle, as the Raiders have been trying to prioritize that group for a few years now. Whether it be through the NFL Draft or free agency, defensive tackle has been a turnstile over the last two seasons, and some players really stepped up for the Raiders last season.
One of those players was Adam Butler, who joined the Raiders after four years in New England, and then a one-year stint in Miami. Butler appeared in 17 games for Las Vegas this past season, racking up five sacks, and towards the end of the season, really became a constant for the Raiders against the run, and the pass.
Las Vegas is expected to explore options at defensive tackle this offseason, but Butler is someone I believe they can bring back for a very team-friendly contract. He played well alongside Crosby, Tyree Wilson, and Malcolm Koonce for this revamped Raiders defensive line, and certainly deserves a long look from the front office this offseason.