Should the Dallas Cowboys re-sign and start Brice Butler?
Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brice Butler says he refuses to re-sign with America’s Team if he is not made a starter. Should Dallas comply?
There is a wide receiver crisis in Dallas. The Dallas Cowboys‘ star-studded wide receiver corps failed to produce last season, with every one of their players ultimately underperforming.
The biggest disappointment is certainly Dez Bryant. The once premier receiver is a shell of the player he once was. No longer able to rely simply on his physical attributes to win 50/50 balls, the 29-year old Bryant is now faced with the reality of reshaping his game.
Unfortunately, Bryant is also being paid like a top-tier receiver, which is limiting the Cowboys in other areas. Dallas and Dez are going to need to work out some sort of deal this offseason if the diva wide out is to remain on the team next season.
Outside of Bryant, Cole Beasley suddenly became all but irrelevant in Dallas this past season after leading the team in receptions in 2016. The shifty slot receiver found himself blanketed by opposing defenses and Beasley was unable to continue being the reliable target second-year quarterback Dak Prescott needed him to be.
Rounding out this mediocre group are receivers Terrance Williams and Brice Butler. After a solid start in Dallas, Williams, a former third round selection, has had an up and down career in Dallas. But Terrance did sign a very team-friendly four-year, $17 million deal last season. So much wasn’t expected from him anyway.
The same can not be said for Butler, who sidestepped a possible release this past offseason by arguably being the best performer during training camp. Traded to Dallas from Oakland back in 2015, Butler has shown signs of potential. But those rare glimpses have always been accompanied by dropped passes and boneheaded penalties.
A free agent this offseason, Butler took to the media this week to express his displeasure with playing time in Dallas. And now he claims he will not return to the Cowboys unless he is named an instant starter.
"“With Dallas, you know, the situation has to be right for me to go back,” Butler told Colin Cowherd on his FS1 show, The Herd, on Thursday. “I have to be a starter. If I’m not a starter, I’m not going back.”"
Butler would go on to be somewhat critical of Bryant, complain about his lack of playing time and even mention Williams’ contract during his media run on Thursday. But Brice does have a reason to be upset. He received just 23 targets this season. That’s the same amount as back-up running back Rod Smith! In fact, six players got as many or more targets than Butler in 2017.
The 27-year old receiver would end up recording just 15 catches for a career-high 317 yards and three scores. And his 21.1 yards per catch average would be the highest in the league if he qualified. But there is surely a reason why the Cowboys’ coaching staff decided not to utilize Butler more this season, especially after his strong performance during the offseason. And that answer is likely trust.
The lanky Butler possesses some very unique physical traits. He’s a tall wide out (6-foot-3, 220) who has blazing 4.3 speed. But he’s also proven himself to be an unreliable pass catcher and someone who is unable to perform in high-pressure situations.
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Brice Butler has always been a preseason star and a regular season dud. With five years of NFL experience already under his belt, I’m not sure he can get any better than where he is now. And after throwing some of his former teammates under the bus this week, it appears Butler’s days in Big D are all but over anyway.