Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that the Panthers are declining DT Vernon Butler’s fifth-year option on Thursday.
This isn’t much of a surprise, given that Butler has yet to live up to his draft status.
The fifth-year option would have cost the Panthers $7,690,000 for the 2019 season had they picked it up.
Butler, 24, is a former first-round pick of the Panthers back in 2016. He signed a four-year, $8.4 million contract with the team and stands to make a base salary of $1,144,980 for the 2019 season.
Butler will be an unrestricted free agent in 2020.
In 2018, Butler appeared in 14 games for the Panthers and recorded 19 tackles, a half sack and a fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 90 interior defender out of 112 qualifying players.
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