James Butler:

[THOLTFAN81]

Per Rotoworld:

The Giants will let SS James Butler test the free agent market.
Butler says New York wants him to "keep them posted" on any offers from other teams, but he's likely to depart. The Giants have 2008 first-round pick Kenny Phillips ready to start. The Rams figure to give Butler a long look.

[TekeRam]

That sounds very very good for us, as I think that Butler is our best chance at filling the SS position, unless we can somehow grab one of the two safeties from Baltimore, Landry or Leonard.

[39thebeast]

Butler says New York Giants have told him to explore free agency

by Mike Garafalo/The Star-Ledger Wednesday February 18, 2009, 7:33 PM


Fingerprint CommunicationsTuck, Clark and Butler before their front-window dining experience.
James Butler was once an undrafted free agent fighting for a job. Now, he's a Super Bowl winner and 2-year starter with a chance to explore the free-agent market. Butler said last night the Giants aren't standing in the way of that opportunity.
"They told me they're going to let me try out free agency but to keep them posted on what I find out there," Butler said last night in Manhattan during an appearance at the grand opening of the Diesel store on Fifth Ave.
When asked if he'll let the Giants match any offer, Butler said, "I'll give them that opportunity because I want to be here. And I'm going to let the Giants see what's out there and if they match it, great. If not, I've done all I can do in four years with the Giants."
Even Butler knows the Giants don't spend a lot of money on the safety position. They let Gibril Wilson walk away without much of a fight at all last year. And in this case, they're clearly not making a push to retain Butler, 26, before another team gets a crack at him. So the only way he's coming back is if the market proves to be very cool and he signs a short-term, low-budget offer to stay with the Giants - a la Derrick Ward last season.
So Butler is likely in his last days as a Giant. And he's okay with that.
"I'm comfortable and satisfied because I've enjoyed my time here," he said. "I'd love to hang around a little longer, but we don't know what's going to happen in this business. All I know is I'm looking forward to moving forward, wherever that may be."
To St. Louis? After all, the Rams' secondary needs help and Butler certainly knows Steve Spagnuolo's system.
"That's an option," Butler said with a grin. "We know 'Spags' is a great coach and he did a great job with the Giants. I'm sure he'll do a great job with St. Louis, too. We'll see."

[Drummerman1011]

Psshhh that is clear as tell as any as to him wanting to come here if the Giants do not treat him well. A player will never say directly that he wants to play for a certain team. If we give him a decent contract, he will come right on over because its the same system as before. He's only 26 years old and a very decent SS. Would be a great signing if we decide to pull the trigger on it.

[MarshallMarshall]

I'm all for it as long as he's not related to Jerimetrius Butler. lol

[Azul e Oro]

I'm all for it as long as he's not related to Jerimetrius Butler. lol

I realize you're probably just making a play on words with the name but Jerametrius Butler was a decent upcoming player until the injuries hit. I'll be thrilled if we find a 5th round corner as good as him.

Look at his numbers for '03-'04; 9 Ints 29 passes defended?

Fakhir & Tye would love to have them.J. Wade can only dream of them. Hopefully Bartell & J. King will have a chance to get them with James Butler & Atogwe behind them & a revamped front 7.

Let's get Spag-ified, Defense!

[HUbison]

Butler is just one of those situations that makes entirely too much sense to not happen. Therefore, there's probably no way it's going to happen. ha

1. Butler is a starting caliber SS coming into his prime.
2. Rams need a starting caliber SS coming into his prime.
3. Rams HC is a "player's coach" who guys want to play for.
4. Butler became a starter under and played the past two seasons for Rams HC.

Just makes too much sense to me.

[cfh128]

I went to a Giants forum to do a little background reading on this guy. He was an undrafted free agent who worked his way into a starting spot. However, a lot of the Giants fans were giving him kind of a "don't let the door hit you on the way out" kind of review. Supposedly if he sticks around in NY, it will be to back up Kenny Phillips. The best reviews I read of this guy were along the lines of "this guy takes more of a beating than he deserves, he's not that bad".

Not to say that he isn't better than anything we currently have available, but the Giants fans lackluster reviews of this guy were kind of disappointing to me.

[Mooselini]

I hope we get the guy. I really do.

We've got Spags on our team, that should be enough "bait" to get him over here...

[THOLTFAN81]

Yeah, and lets trade a pick for Lito Sheppard...theres the secondary revamped right there.

[Azul e Oro]

I don't have the Lito love. He's been beat up and beat out for a couple of years. Is there any more flash left in that pan?

Sounds like a SOSAR move. Like Coakley, Claiborne,Sehorn, et al.

[RamsFan16]

I'm all for it as long as he's not related to Jerimetrius Butler. lol

Before injuries Jeramitrius Butler was good, injuries caused his melt down.


It sucked, I really liked him!

[Bar-bq]

Before injuries Jeramitrius Butler was good, injuries caused his melt down.


It sucked, I really liked him!

This is true. He had five of our nine interceptions in 2004.

[Bald_81]

I went on the Giants board and asked them what they thought and knew about James Butler, here are their responses:

James Butler Discussion

Interesting blend of criticism and praise. I want to see how this all plays out, but I'm definitely in favour of getting him in a Rams uni.

[clarasDK]

I went on the Giants board and asked them what they thought and knew about James Butler, here are their responses:

James Butler Discussion

Interesting blend of criticism and praise. I want to see how this all plays out, but I'm definitely in favour of getting him in a Rams uni.

Well I guess with Spags we have the best guy around to access if he is good or not