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Donald Butler hints that he'd take pay cut to play for contender

Jake Roth / USA TODAY Sports

Donald Butler alluded to potentially taking a discounted deal to play for a Super Bowl contender as free agency approaches.

Butler appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio after being released by the San Diego Chargers on Thursday to discuss his future in the league.

The 27-year-old outlined his criteria for his new team, with free agency slated to begin Wednesday.

Somewhere I can come in and be a factor. I feel like I'm a three-down linebacker, who can play all three downs, get in there and get after it. Clearly, I would like some great big guys in front of me, who can take up some of those blockers so I can run around and just make tackles. That would be great as a linebacker, what else you wanna do? So that would be great. That's the biggest thing.

I would like to go to a contender. Winning is why we do this. Those would be the top two things, somewhere I can come in right away and be a factor and go to a winning team.

Butler hinted that he'd consider taking less money to join a Super Bowl-caliber team.

"You know, at this point I can't say it's not all about the money because it always is. This is a business, but winning trumps all, to me. I love to win, nothing like that feeling."

After five productive NFL seasons, Butler could prove to be a capable run-stopper for a winning club.

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