SAN DIEGO -- After a sluggish start, San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Donald Butler feels like he’s doing a better job of earning his keep over the past three games.

A switch back to a more familiar position helped in his improved play.

“It’s gotten better,” he said. “Initially, I started a little slow, which sometimes is going to happen. But it’s getting better.”

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said re-signing the University of Washington product was the team’s top priority in free agency during this past offseason. And the team showed its commitment to Butler by signing him to a seven-year, $51.8 million deal as the long-term solution at inside linebacker.

Butler is the third-highest paid linebacker in the NFL this season, making $11.9 million in total compensation in 2014.

At only 26 years old, the Chargers expected Butler to perform like one of the team’s cornerstones on defense.

Butler leads the team in tackles with 37. He has a sack, two fumble recoveries and has led the team in tackles in two of the past three games.

Staying healthy has been an issue for Butler in the past. He missed four games in each of the past two seasons. But he hasn’t missed a game so far this season, playing in 93 percent of San Diego’s defensive snaps.

Still, Butler said he has not produced the type of game-changing plays he made down the backstretch of last season, helping propel the Chargers to the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

A dropped interception off of his fingertips against Oakland is an example of the missed opportunities for Butler.

Butler said he was pressing at the beginning of the regular season in order to try to make those types of plays.

“Especially the way I ended last season making those flash plays, when those first couple games I wasn’t, it was kind of like, ‘Man’” Butler said. “Then you try to push, when you shouldn’t try and push, and just go out and do your job.”

With Manti Te’o suffering a broken foot in Week 3 against Buffalo, Butler also benefited from a return to the MO, or weakside inside linebacker position, with Kavell Conner moving into the strongside, inside linebacker position.

Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano said Butler still makes all of the calls on the field, but he returns to the position he started out at when San Diego selected him in the third round of the 2010 draft.

“He’s really come on these last three weeks,” Pagano said. “I think every time that guys early on when you start out, maybe you try and press a little bit too much and things happen. And you just try and tell them to really just play the game, calm down and go after it.

“But he’s getting better each week, and you see the focus and intensity, even in the meeting room and in practice. I even told him last week that I thought before the week with his preparation and everything that he was going to play at a high level.”

Added Chargers safety Eric Weddle: “He’s got to be one of our most consistent guys. And he has over the last couple weeks, which is good.”