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?
