Cardinals sign Donald Butler

The Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday signed linebacker Donald Butler, who was released by the San Diego Chargers in March.

Butler, 27, was released by the Chargers on March 3. He completed his fifth season in San Diego in 2015. He had 43 tackles, a half-sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Butler signed a seven-year, $51.8 million contract extension with San Diego in 2014. He was scheduled to earn $4.65 million in base salary in 2016, and his contract carried a cap hit of $9.28 million for the Chargers. His contract was scheduled to run through the 2020 season.

He started nine games in 2015 and 62 of his 71 games with the Chargers. He made just nine starts last season as he was supplanted by rookie Denzel Perryman.

Last season was the first in which he finished with fewer than 70 tackles. He had a career-best 96 in his rookie season (2011) and registered five sacks total in his first two seasons. He has just two sacks in the past three seasons.

In a corresponding move, the Cardinals releasedQuayshawn Nealy.

ESPN Chargers reporter Eric D. Williams contributed to this report.