Cardinals bolster secondary, sign veteran CB Malcolm Butler

Updated Mar. 25, 2021 3:39 p.m. ET

Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals have added cornerback Malcolm Butler on a one-year deal in an effort to bolster a thin secondary and also traded center Mason Cole to the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth-round draft pick.

Butler, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, comes to the Cardinals about a week after the team lost cornerback Patrick Peterson, who signed with the Vikings. The 31-year-old Butler started all 16 games for the Tennessee Titans last season, had four interceptions and a career-high 100 tackles.

Terms of Butler's deal were not disclosed by the Cardinals.

It was one of two moves the Cardinals made on Thursday. They also traded Cole to the Vikings for a sixth-round pick in April's draft. Cole, who turns 25 on Sunday, started 32 games for the Cardinals over the past three seasons, including 14 games last year. The center must pass a physical before the trade is complete.

Butler is entering his eighth NFL season. He played the past three seasons for the Titans but is best known for his time in New England, when he helped the Patriots win Super Bowls in the 2014 and 2016 seasons.

In Super Bowl 49, Butler made one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl history at Arizona's State Farm Stadium when he intercepted Russell Wilson’s pass at the goal line with under a minute to play to seal New England's win.

Cole became a potential trade piece after the Cardinals traded for three-time Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson last week.

They're the latest moves for the Cardinals, who have been active during free agency. They've also added three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt, seven-time Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green and two-time Pro Bowl kicker Matt Prater.

The Cardinals are trying to break a playoff drought that goes back to 2015. They finished with an 8-8 record last year, losing five of their final seven games to fall just short of the playoffs.

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