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Cleveland Browns Give Butler Contract Extension

Cleveland Browns have signed a two year contract extension with right offensive tackle Kelly Butler. This was done keeping in mind the future of Browns and the possibility of Ryan Tucker not returning in the 2007 season.

The financial details of the contract extension were not disclosed but in 2006, Butler earned a minimum base salary of $425,000. If this extension had not been signed, Butler would have become a restricted free agent in early March 2007.

Butler is a three year old veteran and has played six games for the Browns in 2006 including five starts at right tackle. Cleveland Browns claimed Kelly Butler on waivers in early September. Butler may go to the training camp as the favorite to win the right tackle job. However, this will be only after Tucker’s status has been taken into consideration.

For the time being, Tucker’s status is not clear after he left the Browns late in the year to undergo treatment for an undisclosed mental disorder. Team officials are extremely optimistic that Tucker, who is a veteran of 10 years, will return in the 2007 season, but at this point no one knows for sure.

At 31, Tucker is considered to the Browns’ best lineman. In 2005, he started all the 16 games for Browns but appeared in only nine games in 2006.

Butler, who is 24 years old, played for Purdue before being chosen by Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2004 draft. As a rookie, he did not appear in a game but started all the 16 games at right tackle in 2005. In 2006, towards the end of the training camp Butler was released by the Lions as they felt he did not meet their needs and style of play. It was then that Butler was claimed by the Cleveland Browns.