TE Jake Butt energized after preseason debut vs. Rams: 'I've turned the corner'

The Denver Broncos finally pulled the bubble wrap off their big, talented tight end Jake Butt. After being mostly sidelined since the Broncos began training camp on July 18, Butt made his 2019 debut on Saturday night vs. the L.A. Rams.

He received just 11 snaps in that preseason contest but it was his first live-game action since the Broncos' Week 3 loss to Baltimore last year. Butt hauled in both of his targets on Saturday night for 17 yards.

He took a couple of hits, did his job in the running game as a blocker, and acquitted himself well. Best of all, he emerged from the Broncos' 10-6 loss unscathed and healthy.

“I thought he did well, caught a couple balls, was active in there," head coach Vic Fangio said about Butt following the game. "I saw him run some good routes where the ball didn’t even go to him. Based on what I saw, live-action – which isn’t everything – I think he’ll probably be pleased with his play.”

More than anything, Jake Butt sounded energized following his 2019 debut. As taxing as an ACL tear is, plus the subsequent recovery and rehab, the mental and emotional toll is even more grueling. He broke the ice and feels like his luck his changing.

“This has been the toughest ACL recovery for sure," Butt said. "This one put reality into check. Not being able to practice in the beginning of camp, going through some setbacks, it definitely tested me mentally – I don’t mind the physical pain – but mentally it’s been the hardest one, but I think I’ve turned the corner and I’m feeling good. I want to put together a good season, a good healthy season, and put some good things on tape and continue to build on it.”

The ACL tear he's recovering from was the third of his football career and second within about an 18-month window. After all that strain and frustration to begin his NFL career, compounded by the setbacks in his recovery he suffered just two days into camp, Butt has worked hard to cultivate the proper mindset.

“Yeah, it felt good," Butt said following the game. "I don’t want to get too excited, I got 11 plays in the preseason, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. I’ve got to look at the tape but I feel pretty good about what I did out there. I had a couple catches, I thought I blocked well, and came out healthy, so it’s all good.”

If the Broncos have it their way, Butt will be a key contributor on the 2019 offense. You can see it plainly when he's out on the field. He's a big, physical freak of an athlete and he can be a true play-maker at the TE position.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and the team recognizes that there's still a long road left to hoe for Butt, however, the Broncos envision rookie first-rounder Noah Fant as the long-term TE1, with Butt as the TE2. One common denominator among the truly good offenses in the NFL is usually being two-deep at the TE position.

The New England Patriots changed that paradigm back in the heyday of the Rob Gronkowski/Aaron Hernandez days. And with a TE-friendly QB like Joe Flacco now calling the signals in Denver, it's a position likely to get a lot of use.

For now, veteran Jeff Heuerman is the TE1. But it probably won't take Fant long to leap-frog him, even if it takes all year. That's nothing time-wise in the grand scheme of things.

Butt is a significantly more talented player than Heuerman. His only issue has been health. Saturday night's 11-snap performance was the epitome of encouraging and likely gave the Broncos the assurance they needed to feel comfortable rostering Butt on the 53-man squad.

"This camp with Coach Vic was the hardest camp I’ve been a part of," Butt said. "You’re being challenged every single day physically, mentally, your body’s beat up, you’re tired, but you’ve got to go out there and do it and no one wants to hear you complain about it. You find out your limit and that’s something that’s exciting and if you’re a competitor, you like that kind of thing.”

The coaches and front office aren't the only ones stoked to see Butt return to the field. His teammates got a little shot in the arm, thrilled with Butt's long slog of a recovery.

“It was awesome. He was so excited," QB Kevin Hogan said after Saturday night's loss. "That guy has worked so hard and he made two huge plays on that long drive we had. It was good. He’s a heck of an athlete and he’s going to do a lot of good things for us.”

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.