The Dallas Cowboys have brought back Wide Receiver Brice Butler, who was with the team from 2015-2017. The reunion is a head-scratching move given the team’s current stockpile of receivers, and especially given Butler’s lack of impact during his previous run in Dallas.
There’s no question that Dallas could use some more juice in the passing game. So far the post-Witten, post-Bryant era has only seen 165 yards-per-game out of Dak Prescott and his current receiving options.
I can understand the Cowboys getting antsy about this low production. I can understand the feeling that waiting for chemistry to develop between Dak and new faces like Allen Hurns and Michael Gallup, or any one of these young tight ends, could be damaging to the season.
But when you need a spark in the offense, it seems odd to turn to a guy who was in your system for three years and never had a huge game.
Let’s just look at Butler’s top five statistical performances as a Cowboy:
- 5 catches, 41 yards, 1 touchdown (Week 4, 2016)
- 2 catches, 90 yards, 1 touchdown (Week 3, 2017)
- 2 catches, 50 yards, 1 touchdown (Week 17, 2017)
- 4 catches, 74 yards (Week 16, 2015)
- 4 catches, 60 yards (Week 17, 2015)
No games with over 100 yards. No games with more than five catches. No games with more than one touchdown.
I’m not trying to slam Brice here. He is what he is. This is all about trying to understand the logic of the Cowboys’ front office in making this move.
If the idea was to bring in a guy who Dak Prescott had more familiarity with, then why not give Terrance Williams more playing time? He’s already on the roster and buried on the depth chart, getting the fewest snaps of all the WRs last week.
If you’ve followed my work for long, you know I’m no fan of Williams. But even I can admit that he’s been more productive and effective in this offense than Brice Butler ever was.
If you’re bringing in Butler to be a vertical threat, isn’t that what you signed veteran Deonte Thompson for? Last year, playing for two different teams with shaky QB situations, Thompson had 38 catches for 555 yards. Brice hasn’t had a single season close to that.
What about Tavon Austin? Just three days ago, Austin had a 64-yard touchdown. Did we really need another guy for field stretching? And even if so, what in Butler’s history indicates he can do something that Thompson or Austin can’t?
Don’t forget about Hurns, Gallup, or Cole Beasley either. They’re not vertical receivers, but they’re still the top three guys in the offense.
If you’re a Brice Butler fan, you’ve likely argued that his lack of production in Dallas was from a lack of opportunities. That may be true, but how has that changed in 2018? There are more mouths to feed than ever at WR.
What is Butler going to do now, that he didn’t for three years, to earn more looks?
If Dallas was really concerned about adding an offensive spark, the opportunity was out there this week with Josh Gordon. The Patriots got him for a conditional 5th-round pick from Cleveland just yesterday.
I can understand why Dallas, given recent issues with Randy Gregory and David Irving, were reluctant to add a player with such a notorious history of substance abuse. But if the no-nonsense Patriots were willing to give him a shot, why not the far more liberal Cowboys?
If Gordon was one problem child too many, what about Jordan Matthews? The former 2nd-round pick is still just 26 (Butler is 28) and had over 800 yards in each year from 2014-2016. He had a down year in Buffalo in 2017, as anyone would, and then didn’t make the Patriots squad this year due to an injury.
Whether it’s on your own roster or out in the open market, there seem to be profitable options than Brice Butler. The chance for him to be the next Laurent Robinson came and went; the same QB and the same Offensive Coordinator are here.
Is there really some juice left to squeeze here?
There’s an old saying that, “if you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have any.” I think the same logic applies to having seven wide receivers. There was already a logjam, and Dallas didn’t even cut one of them to make room for Butler.
So yeah, I don’t get it. I’m perplexed why they added anyone at all, this early in the year, while their current receivers are all healthy and still trying to find their role in the offense.
And if the Cowboys really felt that had to make a move, why the heck did they bring back this guy?
This abruptal decision makes the other six not productive by default and I am not sure that Buttler is the missing piece of the puzzle. FO and coaches are just saying that players and not playbook is the issue. Wrong! Maybe they’ll end being the infamous seven…
I understand the concern about logjams at wide receiver. However, I do think that brining in a receiver that has chemistry with dak, has speed and height to be a deep ball threat, and now can get more opportunity with dez gone could be helpful to this offense. Don’t get me wrong, my point here is not that Brice will single handedly save this offense. But, when you look at Hurns and Gallup, they have serious potential but don’t yet have the chemistry with dak. Thompson has looked good and seems to have chemistry with dak through 2 games. Beasley is Beasley, he’s great inside and on any route that involves a cut, but I know you all were holding your breath in the second half when dak tried to throw a fade to cole in the corner of the end zone. That is a play that butler can go make. Terrence Williams is just there at this point. He has failed to show up as the number one on multiple occasions when dez was out, and his inability to catch the ball with his hands has led to more frustrating interceptions than most can handle. Brice is simply a receiver with speed and height, a 2 year relationship with dak, and now potentially the opportunity to make some plays for this team. He won’t be WR1, but he could contribute.
Jess you captured my thoughts exactly minus the part about Gordon. I can’t help but feel there is already an issue lurking in the background that hasn’t come to the forefront yet. But as far as Butler, I would go so far as to say it is one of the worst signings in recent memory. it makes zero sense on any level. I don’t care how many Butler lovers there are out there that want to tell me about his “potential” or his “ability to stretch the defense.” He failed in Oakland, he failed in Dallas, he couldn’t stay on the roster in Arizona who are clamouring for WR’s and we bring him back “because we are comfortable” and Garret says “he did some good things.” i am pissed and getting more so just writing this! No good coach would bring him back but good old Garrett who loves almost every ex-player couldn’t say no. There were better FA receivers out there and they could have worked out a trade somewhere if they really needed help. It might take a minute to get over this stupidity but I will go on record as saying he will not be on this roster in week 17 and he will make no discernible impact while he is on the roster!!!
Watching the last game Dak ran the same slant play to 3 different WRs. He faked it to the side and then threw the slant to Hurt, Gallop and then Thompson. The reason I bring that up is because Beasley stated that Butler doesn’t effect the touches because they aren’t worried about touches/plays. They believe there is no need for a superstar WR. Beasley said we have different sets for each of us and if we execute our plays the defense has a hard time figuring out what we are doing.
Brice brings a deep threat and speed. We know that. We also know Tavon brings speed and a deep threat from last week. Deontae is also a speedster. Speed kills, even if you use Thompson for the short to intermediate passes as they did last week.
We have 4 infamous TEs who have done less than the WRs. I’m curious if we are going to do more 4 WR sets while we try to develop our TEs further. Put Tavon and Brice on deep crossing routes. There are possibilities and we can only guess for now. Sunday will be interesting to see if Brice even plays. I think we see him when Detroit comes to town. In the meantime, I wonder what SanJay will work with him on. Grab those bricks Brice and start walking.
You gotta take in consideration his “lack of production” was due to placating certain players who are no longer on the team. He’s shown signs of being a reliable option, same with Noah Brown. Those guys just need an opportunity, and they can have that now minus the distractions of getting the ball to one person
Rumor has it that Williams is going to be suspended.
TWill’s facing a suspension that seems more imminent than not
Familiarity is what’s best for now
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Brice’s stats were better than Dez’s considering a drastic lack of targets compared to Dez’s
Butler’s drop rate is also lower than was Dez Bryant’s
TWill ain’t produced thus far in 2018, which continues his drastic drop-off he suffered last year
I’m hoping we trade for another TE and/or WR
But Brice adds to stretching the field as well as very good route running
Hopefully more targets will boost his catch percentage also
He simply never got enough reps with the 1st team in practices to develope
I will maintain my stance on Dez Bryant & Jason Witten being more progression stoppers to their understudies which has left us with this under-developed corp of receivers we currently have
Remember
JJ handicapped us financially to where we can just begin to acquire decent help in several places
We just can ill-afford to splurge in either position of need vs spreading our resources around
Not & still lock in the necessary personnel come these next two seasons