Brice Butler 2018 Outlook: A Breakout on the Horizon
6 years agoButler now finds himself on a Cardinals team sans three of their top six receivers from 2017 whose #1 receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, is approaching 35 years old, and whose two-time Pro Bowl tight end, Jermaine Gresham, is working his way back from an Achilles tear and isn’t a lock to suit up to start the season. So, while the return of David Johnson, and the addition of defensive minded Head Coach – Steve Wilks - will both likely lead to a run heavy approach in 2018, they should also open things up through the air where Sam Bradford has proved to be competent when healthy… Someone has to catch the ball, right?
Problem is, Brice Butler really hasn’t done anything in his five NFL seasons. While that could easily be a reflection on talent, his two seasons as a Raider saw Terrelle Pryor, Matt McGloin, and rookie Derek Carr handle the quarterbacking while his last two seasons in Dallas saw him compete with Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, and Ezekiel Elliott for touches, so it could also be the result of forces beyond his control. The scapegoats be less plentiful this season (although Christian Kirk is likely to see the field quite often), however, and Butler has a solid chance to finish the season with WR3 numbers – with debatable WR2 upside – and given his current ADP, he’s likely to go undrafted in your league making him worthy of a “why not?!” selection towards the end of your drafts.