Jake

Butt

That’s five if you include Butt’s brief 2021 stay in Chicago. A celebrated college player at Michigan, Butt fell to the fifth round of the 2017 Draft after tearing his ACL in the 2016 Orange Bowl. That was the second of what would end up as three tears, limiting him to 10 catches in four years. Now 26, Butt’s body simply would not cooperate with the football lifestyle.

He’ll begin at the butt end of Chicago’s depth chart, which still currently lists 34-year-old Jimmy Graham, sophomore Cole Kmet, and run-blocker J.P. Holtz atop the position. Butt, 25 in July, has just 10 career receptions across eight games played due to a lengthy injury history.

Butt’s career never took off with the Broncos as he was constantly sidelined by injuries. Drafted in 2017, Butt has just 10 career receptions across eight games played. Luckily for Butt, Arizona’s depth chart is incredibly weak. Maxx Williams, who posted 102 yards in nine games last year, is currently projected as the team’s starting tight end. If Butt gets signed and makes the final roster, he could earn more playing time in 2021 than he has throughout the previous four years of his career combined.

A hyped college prospect, injuries prevented Butt’s Broncos career from ever getting off the ground. It’s remarkable he survived in Denver as long as he did. Of Butt’s 10 career receptions, two came in 2020. Four months shy of his 26th birthday, Butt’s NFL future is not bright.

Butt missed all of 2019 after undergoing left knee surgery. It was his fourth “major” knee operation since 2014. With Albert Okwuegbunam joining Noah Fant in the Broncos’ tight end room, 25-year-old (in July) Butt’s time with the Broncos has probably come and gone.

At this point, it would be a surprise if Butt ever becomes a productive NFL player. He’s undergone three ACL surgeries in his football life and can never seem to stay on the field. It’s unclear how long Butt will be out after this operation.

Butt, who is coming off his third ACL tear after suffering the same injury in both high school and college, expects to have his reps managed throughout camp. “I can’t imagine I would go from not playing football to doing everything,” said the third-year tight end. “I’m sure there’ll be some plan in place so I’m not taking a million reps.” Butt’s Week 1 status isn’t in doubt, though the 23-year-old will likely be competing with Jeff Heuerman for backup reps behind newly installed starter Noah Fant.

Butt has previously said he will be ready for training camp, and this timeline would put him on track. Of course, players are usually overly optimistic about their own recoveries. Denver brought back Jeff Heuerman, but Butt should still get every shot to win the starting job if he is healthy.

Butt is recovering from the third ACL tear of his career, this one suffered in September, but he feels good about his recovery. “I’ll be here all offseason rehabbing and at the very least, I’ll be fully healthy for camp,” Butt said. “I want to at least be doing something during OTAs. I feel really good.” Players tend to be overly optimistic about their recoveries, but training camp seems like a realistic goal. Butt has played just three games since the Broncos selected him in the fifth round of the 2017 draft.

It has since been confirmed. It’s beyond brutal for the one-time promising prospect, who is now dealing with his third career ACL tear. The first two were to his right knee. For the Broncos, it further hollows out an already thin tight end group. Neither of Jeff Heuerman or Matt LaCosse are going to become a factor catching the ball in Butt’s absence. Butt is still only 23, but his NFL career is headed in the wrong direction. He can be dropped in Dynasty leagues.