The St. Louis Rams have signed free-agent safety James Butler and fullback Mike Karney, the team announced Wednesday.
Terms of the deals weren't disclosed, although The Associated Press reported that Butler received a four-year contract.
Butler is familiar with new Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo's system, having played under him when he was defensive coordinator for the New York Giants in 2007 and 2008.
"It is always good when you get an opportunity to obtain a player that you are familiar with," Spagnuolo said in a statement released by the team. "James has an understanding of our defensive system and will be a valuable addition to our team."
Butler had spent all four of his NFL seasons with the Giants after entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played in 15 games in 2008 and established career highs with 68 tackles and three interceptions.
Butler has played in 58 regular-season games with 27 starts in his NFL career and has registered 190 tackles, six interceptions and 21 passes defensed. He started all four playoff games at strong safety for the Giants during their run to the Super Bowl XLII championship in the 2007 season.
Karney had spent his entire five-year NFL career with the New Orleans Saints before being released last week. He played in 75 games for the Saints, starting 46, and last season tied his career high for rushing touchdowns with two.
"Mike has proven to be a solid fullback since entering the league in 2004," Spagnuolo said in the statement. "We are excited that he is now a Ram, and we looking forward to him being an effective part of our offense in the future."
