Devin McCourty Reflects on Good Friend Darius Butler, Wishes Fellow Cornerback All the Best in Carolina

FOXBORO, Mass. — There's no time for the Patriots to look back as they prepare for their Week 1 showdown with the Dolphins, but cornerback Devin McCourty took a moment to share his thoughts on Darius Butler, who was released Tuesday.

Butler, a 2009 second-round pick, was claimed off waivers by the Panthers, who had the league's top waiver priority. He helped McCourty transition to life in the NFL last season.

"I wish him nothing but the best," McCourty said. "He is a good friend of mine. We are always just working on different things here. I just wish him the best in Carolina now."