After sitting out the 2022 season, Adam Butler signed a budget-friendly deal with the Raiders, a move that proved to be a smart investment. The team essentially repeated that strategy last offseason, and once again, Butler delivered.
Playing on another one-year contract in 2024, the 30-year-old defensive tackle emerged as a key contributor. He matched his previous season’s sack total (five), recorded 15 pressures, and set a career-high with 65 tackles all while handling his heaviest workload yet, playing 77% of the team’s defensive snaps. Now, as he enters free agency, Butler stands out as one of the Raiders’ most notable pending departures.
According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Butler is eager to return to Las Vegas but is looking for a more lucrative deal this time around. He played on a $1.55 million contract in 2023, which increased slightly to $1.8 million in 2024. Given his production, the former undrafted free agent is likely to command a raise, especially on a short-term deal.
The Raiders currently boast the second-most projected cap space for 2025, giving them the financial flexibility to retain key players like Butler. However, with defensive tackle Christian Wilkins already locked into a massive $27.5 million-per-year deal, Butler won’t command that kind of payday. Still, letting him walk in free agency could leave a major gap in the defensive line—especially if fellow DT starter John Jenkins also departs.
A new front-office regime led by general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll now faces a decision: Is Butler worth the raise, or will the team allocate resources elsewhere following a rough 4-13 season? If Butler does hit free agency, it will be intriguing to see how much demand he generates on the open market.
