San Diego Chargers: Donald Butler needs to earn contract

By Keith Demolder | May 19, 2015

In the National Football League, time is money and money can bring championships. Sometimes.

For the San Diego Chargers and Donald Butler, Tom Telesco is banking on the fact that Butler and his monstrous contract will produce some quality wins in 2015. The contract, signed in February 0f 2014 and according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, is worth $51,800,000 for seven years which comes out to be around $7,400,000 per season (15th-highest among linebackers and sixth-highest among ILBs, per Spotrac).

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Considering that Butler is the sixth-highest paid inside linebacker, he has to start playing like the sixth-highest paid inside linebacker if he is going to stay with the Chargers. Now while his rookie season was outstanding (96 tackles, two sacks, two passes defended and one interception), he has failed to remain healthy in his past three seasons.

Sep 28, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Donald Butler (56) tackles Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) as he slides during the fourth quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

According to Williams, “at 25, Butler is one of San Diego’s core players on defense. However, he has had trouble staying healthy, missing 24 of a possible 64 games in his four-year career. He missed three games last season with a groin issue yet was second on the team in tackles with 84. The University of Washington product was selected in the third round of the 2010 draft, and he missed his entire rookie season because of an Achilles tendon tear in training camp.”

This past season saw Butler serve the last part of the 2014 season on injured reserve after dislocating his elbow against the Denver Broncos.

Considering that Butler has been injured for 32.5 percent of his career – missing 26 out of a possible 80 games), I am not so certain that giving him such big money will result in increased production.

In general, Butler is one of the better inside linebacker in the AFC; there is no disputing that. Last season he was second on the team with 83 tackles despite missing the last games of the season.

However, at the price tag of $7.4 million (ranks fourth-highest on the team), Butler may not be worth that type of money necessarily if he cannot remain healthy. This season and the five seasons remaining after that on his contract, Butler needs to prove to Chargers management that giving him $11.15 million in guaranteed money was worth the risk.

The amazing thing for the Chargers though is that Butler is ready and willing to earn that money.

In an article published by editor Ricky Henne of Chargers.com, Butler stated “’I’ve been working, working and working. And then putting in more work. I am working to get better because as a collective group, we all feel like we didn’t do well enough last year. So I know for myself, I’ve been working all offseason to get my mind and body back right to where it needs to be.'”

There is nothing better than seeing a player excited to prepare for the season and I am as hopeful as ever to see Butler produce. With new linebackers coach Mike Nolan, Butler and the rest of the linebacking corps are fairly confident that they will find improvement.

Of course though, until the season is over, words are just words and actions speak louder than jargon. This season, Butler needs to produce the way he is paid to. And, along with being a leader off the playing field, Butler should also step up and be a leader on the playing field to rookies Denzel Perryman and Kyle Emanuel.

By being a presence on and off the field (and remaining healthy), Butler can earn his share of the $7.4 million per year contract. If Butler cannot do that this season, the Chargers will have to look to other players to step up in his place.

For the time being, Butler is looking good. His attitude is exceptional and he has virtually recovered from his elbow injury sustained in December. Let’s hope that Butler’s “mind over matter” attitude can get the Chargers line backing corps back on track in 2015.

After all, it was Alfred (the Butler) that was the true hero of the Batman movies, right?

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