Rashad Butler Update

Aug/26/06 10:59 AM Filed in: Rashad Butler
The big surprise might be third-round pick Rashad Butler, an offensive tackle from Miami who is anything but a sure thing.

Butler is a project, and he needs to get into the weight room and add lower body strength before the team thinks of putting him on the field to protect Jake Delhomme.

If the Panthers cut Butler it will mark the second straight season a first-day draft pick has failed to make the opening day roster. A year ago, defensive tackle Atiyyah Ellison was the highest drafted NFL player (89th overall) to get cut.

Interestingly enough, Butler was drafted 89th overall this year.

In an ideal world the Panthers would probably like to cut Butler and sign him to the practice squad, but if they do they’ll run the risk of losing him to another team. So you never know, Butler could come down with one of those not-so-serious season-ending injuries — like struggling second-round draft pick Eric Shelton did a year ago — and be stashed away on injured reserve where nobody else in the league can touch him.
(jdnews.com)