Can Jake Butt make one final push? There’s growing belief he can

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It’s difficult to imagine a tougher start to an NFL career than the one Jake Butt has had. But credit to Jake, he’s still in the NFL.

The unimaginable start to his NFL career actually began before he even got into the league.

In his final collegiate game, Butt suffered his second torn ACL of his collegiate career. Not only did this essentially wipe out his entire rookie season in the NFL, but it also tanked his draft stock — dropping him from a borderline first-round tight end all the way to the fifth-round where the Broncos snagged him.

His sophomore year, however, the 6-foot-6 pass-catching threat took the field for the Broncos’ season fully healthy. But less than a month into the season, the grueling injury hit again. Butt only got to experience 97 plays in the NFL before suffering what many deemed a career-ending third torn ACL.

Jake Butt didn’t believe that. And despite missing the entire following year due to complications with his most recent ACL injury, Butt’s back to start his fourth season and prove he’s healthier than ever.

“I think Jake is way ahead of where he was last year at this time,” Vic Fangio said optimistically after practice on Monday. “To quote him, he feels the best he’s felt in a long, long time.”

Butt has participated in the Broncos’ first three training camp practices with seemingly no limitations. No. 80, rockin’ a new mountain-man beard, has been flying around the field, catching passes from all of Denver’s quarterbacks early on.

“I think he’s looked good out there. Not just today, but all of the days that he’s been out there,” Fangio said. “He had a great offseason. Hopefully, we’ll see the real Jake Butt out there this season.”

What exactly does “the real Jake Butt” look like? Before injuries put his career on pause, Butt was simply the nation’s best tight end in college. During his senior season at Michigan, he was a first-team All-American and won the John Mackey Award given to the nation’s best tight end.

Now, according to Drew Lock, Butt might not be able to return to exactly that form after two additional torn ACLs, but he can get close.

“For him to push and grind through all of the injuries he’s had — he reported early with us — right from the get-go, I could tell — he’s not 100 percent back to normal, obviously, you can never get back to normal after a knee [injury], but he is as close as you can possibly get after having those surgeries,” Lock said, praising his teammate’s resilience.

Many would understandably call Jake Butt injury prone. That’s hard to disagree with when he’s had the same devastating injury three times. But the other undeniable side of the story is it’s clear by the Broncos’ actions, and words for that matter, they love him.

In the cruel world that is the NFL, and professional sports, teams will move on from players after a single injury, let alone three. Additionally, few players last long in the league averaging 33 snaps a season. Yet here he is, entering his fourth season in the league still on the team that drafted him. Clearly the Broncos’ brass loves them some Jake Butt.

“There’s nobody in our locker room that doesn’t want to see Jake Butt succeed,” Lock said. “One of the best teammates that we have in this locker room.”

Despite everyone pulling for him, Butt faces an uphill battle to not only have a role on the team but to make the final roster. Along with maintaining his own health, of course, Butt must prove his value in a surprisingly deep tight end room.

Noah Fant is unquestionably Denver’s No. 1 tight end. Nick Vannett — who Lock called a “monster” in both the run and pass game on Monday — will likely check-in as the Broncos second tight end followed by rookie Albert Okwuegbunam. Versatile fullback/tight end Andrew Beck will also likely fill a spot in the room.

That’s four spots. Denver could justify keeping five tight ends, but it would be a luxury. Over the next three weeks of training camp, Butt has to prove he’s worth that splurge.

“The guy’s playing some really good ball,” Lock simply said about Butt. “Super smart. A little more athletic than I think people give him credit for.”

The Broncos have kept Jake Butt on the team for three years with nearly nothing in return. The next three weeks will be crucial in evaluating whether their low-risk, high-reward investment will have a chance to cash in.