Percy Butler was getting ready for training camp when he got a call from his agent.
He had some good news for Butler: the Washington Commanders wanted to sign him to an extension, and he wanted to know if Butler was interested. His response: "Why wouldn't I be interested?"
Not long after, Butler signed a one-year extension and earned a big hug from general manager Adam Peters. Butler, a former fourth-round pick by the previous coaching regime, proved his value to his new coaches and was rewarded for it. Now, he wants to keep finding ways for him to contribute.
"It's a blessing for me and my family just to be wanted," Butler said. "It's a place that I got drafted by, and just to know that a new coaching staff that came in and wanted to keep me just makes me feel good about myself."
Although not a regular starter during the 2024 season, Butler has been a mainstay of the Commanders' defense for the last three seasons. He has appeared in 47 games since he was drafted out of Louisiana and recorded 122 tackles. He has 10 pass breakups for his career to go with a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
Much of Butler's value comes on special teams. He was tied for seventh with Jeremy Chinn in special teams tackles last season and tied for fifth in solo tackles. Butler has always been enthusiastic about finding a role on special teams dating back to when he was drafted by the team, and the fact that Washington was interested in signing him to an extension shows to him how much the team values the unit.
"Special teams keeps you around longer," Butler said. "I didn't start last year and [have] a team want to re-sign you, that was big. It just shows how much work I put into the special teams aspect of the game. Just learning and showing up and treating special teams like it is just as important as a defensive play."
Butler's new coaching staff, which has built a culture based on competition and filled it with players with a strong work ethic, noticed that dedication. Like the rest of Washington's former draft picks over the last four seasons, Butler would be given the chance to be part of the new regime, but he would need to earn it.
Butler is one of nine draft picks from 2020-23 to still be on the roster, and Butler won his new coaches' trust by staying true to who he is as a player and person.
"Just working hard every day," Butler said. "Just showing up, showing them what I want, what I believe in. I would say it's the same thing they believe in, so that's why they believe in me staying here."
And it seems like Washington's coaches believe Butler can be more than a special teams player. He played 399 defensive snaps last season, including a season-high of 71.8% in the regular season finale against the Dallas Cowboys. Butler wants that trend to continue in 2025 and create a larger role in a secondary where player roots for one another and work together.
The best way for Butler to do that is for him to keep the same approach that got him an extension in the first place.
"Just being more patient," Butler said. "Just learning the concepts of how offenses are trying to attack our defensive game plan."
