TE Jake Butt is Generating Buzz at Broncos Camp

The Denver Broncos took a chance on Jake Butt back in 2017, drafting the tight end only a couple of months after he tore his ACL in Michigan's bowl game. Denver got great value in theory — drafting an early day-two-caliber prospect in the fifth round — but that value only becomes part of the equation if he succeeds on the field.

Three years into his NFL career, the Broncos are yet to get even a modicum of a return on that fifth-round investment. However, that could change in the relative blink of an eye if Butt can finally, just finally, stay healthy.

Initial signs point in that direction. Butt hasn't played meaningful football since Week 3 of the 2018 season but all that time away to rehab and recover could be paying dividends for him — if the first three days of training camp are any indication.

Butt has generated some buzz in the early stages of Broncos camp. Knowing that he's one of the lower guys on the tight end totem pole, Butt is making the most of each and every rep and opportunity to touch the ball. He's yet to let a pass hit the ground in 11-on-11 and it's safe to say, every guy in that locker room is pulling for Butt and keeping their fingers crossed that he can stave off the injury bug this time.

"There's nobody in our locker room that doesn't want to see Jake Butt succeed," quarterback Drew Lock said following Monday's practice. "[He's] one of the best teammates that we have in this locker room. For him to push and grind through all of the injuries he's had—for him to come out—he reported early with us. Right from the get-go I could tell—he's not 100% back to normal. Obviously, you can never get back to normal after a knee but he's as close as you can possibly get after having those surgeries."

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Butt is turning heads at UC Health Training Center. As I've said before, and often on the Huddle Up Podcast, there's a reason why the Broncos have been so patient and long-suffering with him.

Butt has the talent to be a top-tier tight end in this league. When he was drafted, after red-shirting his rookie season, the team's plan was to groom him behind Jeff Heuerman to be the long-term No. 1 tight end.

When he got injured three weeks into his second year, the team brass had to face facts and start making contingencies. Noah Fant was drafted in the first round the following spring and the Broncos took Albert Okwuegbunam in the fourth just a few months ago.

However, Butt's initial performance at camp is another good example that if/when he's on the field, it's only a short matter of time before his talent demands expanded opportunity and the attention of the coaches. He's simply a gifted player who's had a really bad string of luck.

"The guy's really playing some good ball," Lock said. "Super smart. A little more athletic than I think people give him credit for."

The Broncos are holding out hope that Butt can stay healthy this time around and turn a corner in what is his contract year. If so, fielding a young trio of Fant, Butt, and Okwuegbunam — I'm not sure there's another NFL team with that much young talent at tight end.

So far, so good. Butt is feeling good, which means he's playing well, too.

"Moving around, running around, I've been feeling really, really good, honestly," Butt told the team website on Saturday. "All my weight room numbers are up. This is the strongest I've ever been. That's for both of my legs. I feel fast and explosive. I get it. I understand that I'm going to have to earn anything I can get around here, and I'm OK with that. But for me, the main thing I'm excited about is I feel healthy, and I feel like I can go out there and be myself."

Again, if the injury bug permits Butt to be himself out there on the grass, his talent will will force the coaching staff to find a role for him. It might sound like wishful thinking at this stage but it wouldn't surprise me to see a tight end depth chart that looks like this when the regular season opens:

1. Fant

2. Butt

3. Vannett

4. Okwuegbunam

Such an eventuality would necessitate the carrying of four tight ends but if it meant getting a fully healthy Butt on the active roster, that's a small sacrifice this team's brass will make all day long and twice on Sunday. There's a reason the Broncos haven't parted ways with Butt long ago.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHudde.