Vernon Butler making his presence felt

CHARLOTTE – Coming off a 15-1 season and considering the Panthers' depth of talent in the interior of their defensive line, most viewed the first-round selection of defensive tackle Vernon Butler as a "luxury pick" in 2016.

But the Panthers picked Butler because they thought he represented a bargain at No. 30 given his wealth of ability, and both Butler and the Panthers hope to cash in on that potential on the heels of an uneven but valuable rookie campaign.

"I had my ups and downs. Gotta get better," Butler said recently. "It was an OK year, but this year will be better – I'll tell you right now."

As much as is possible during offseason workouts, Butler backed up his words. The 6-4,…