As final cuts loom, rookie Adam Butler well-positioned to land roster spot

FOXBOROUGH — Adam Butler doesn’t appear to be fazed by much.

Over the last few years, he’s been asked to flip from one side of the ball to the other — a move sparked by a rib-eating contest in college — lose 20 pounds, and get up to speed as an NFL rookie trying to crack the 53-man roster for the defending Super Bowl champions. No big deal for the Vanderbilt product, who has continued to play at a high level.

And now, with some of the most recent roster movement, if he can continue on the same arc he’s enjoyed over the last three weeks, the 23-year-old rookie free agent appears well-positioned (knock wood) to land a spot on the Patriots’ 2017 roster.

“Adam has had a strong, strong camp,” Bill Belichick said Saturday. “We talked about it the other day; he’s played in a number of different spots, which he did (Friday) night — on the center, on the guard, on the tackle. Even on the tight end for a couple of snaps. A long way to go. (He’s) got a lot to learn.

“But he’s a grinder. He comes to work every day and tries to get better on the things he needs to work on. He’s been a tough, consistent guy who has continued to show up and get better.”

“The more you can do, the more you can do for us” is a favorite line of Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio, and it’s one Butler has taken to heart. He’s played up and down the line this summer — six different spots, by his account. He’s been able to be competitive at every position with the starters and backups, all while cracking the team’s top 10 in defensive snaps played through the first three preseason games.

“It hasn’t really been that difficult, and I say that because when you know one position, you kind of know what the other one does, sometimes,” Butler told Bostonsportsjournal.com on Tuesday before practice. “That lessens the amount that you have to learn. I’ve been put at left end, left tackle, nose, right tackle, right end. And in some situations, outside linebacker. Like I said, it’s easier than I thought it would be, because knowing what I have to do helps me understand what other people have to do.”

Signed by the Patriots shortly after the draft, Butler is a 6-foot-5, 300-pounder who has taken a long road to Gillette Stadium. He started his college career at Vanderbilt as an offensive lineman before flipping to defensive tackle as a freshman. The move paid off, and he eventually started 36 games for the Commodores, recorded 9½ sacks, broke up five passes and blocked two field goals. Undrafted, he got a got a few calls before deciding to go with New England.

This summer, he’s shown an impressive burst as an interior pass rush threat, as well as a nice ability to hold up against the run. That’s even after losing roughly 15-20 pounds since the spring — after tipping the scales at roughly 300 pounds as a collegian, he estimates he’s down to 280 or so now. And the release of Kony Ealy has opened a door for him (and some other young defensive linemen) when it comes to landing a roster spot.

Despite the fact that he appears to be trending in the right direction as final cuts loom, he’s savvy enough to know that even with everything he’s put in so far this summer, nothing is guaranteed. When it comes to his approach, he leans on the persistence he developed over the course of his high school and college days. It has served him nicely so far, and appears to be serving him well this time around as well.

“It’s been tough. It’s been a grind, the same grind that everybody else is going through,” he said. “You know what though? It’s a humbling experience. My past, has a lot to do with how I go about things on a day to day basis. I’ve told my story many times: At one point, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to continue. You know? After I got over that hump in life, I just gained this edge to myself where I, everyday I understand it’s a privilege to step on that field. Every day, it’s a privilege. It’s grind, but I’m happy to have the opportunity.”