He was selected in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers.[2] Thought to be a project due to his relative light weight for an NFL offensive tackle,[3] he was inactive for his rookie year. He actually lost weight and was cut by the Panthers after 2007 training camp.
Houston Texans
After signing with the Texans, he was discovered to suffer from ulcerative colitis, a chronic medical condition which prevented him from bulking up. Under medical care, Butler was able to regain the lost weight relatively quickly.[4]
Butler did not appear in any games for the Texans in 2008. A restricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Butler signed his one-year tender offer from the Texans on April 7.[5]