The New Orleans Saints have signed free agent cornerback Jerametrius Butlerand center Marquay Love, Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced today.
Butler is an eighth-year veteran defensive back who spent his first six NFL seasons with the St. Louis Rams and played in 2007 with the Buffalo Bills. The 5-10, 181-pound former fifth-round draft choice has played in 71 career regular season games, starting 32 of them, and made 218 tackles along with nine interceptions, 25 pass defenses, one forced fumble and four fumble recoveries.
The product of Kansas State posted his most prolific seasons to date in 2003-04 for St. Louis, leading the Rams in interceptions in both of those years before a knee injury suffered in training camp prior to the 2005 season forced him to miss that entire campaign. Butler has also proven to be valuable on special teams, adding 20 career stops in kick coverage. He is a veteran of six career postseason games, with three playoff starts under his belt. Butler participated in the Saints' weekend minicamp on a tryout basis.
Love, who stands at six feet tall and weighs 307 pounds, first entered the NFL when he signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in May 2007. The collegiate defensive tackle made the switch to the offensive side of the ball during Miami's training camp before being waived in the team's final round of roster cuts. The former University of Houston lineman participated also took part in the team's recent minicamp as a tryout.
The Saints also waived linebacker Chris Graham, who was signed as a rookie free agent last month.
