One of the players that deserved more targets in 2017 is Brice Butler. The plays that he produced this season were all big plays. During last season he had 21 yards per reception, which is a significant number and confirms his big play ability. So, where’s the problem? Well, Butler was only targeted 23 times this season. Out of 23 targets, he caught 15 passes. Brice was used as a deep threat. This is somewhat strange considering how Cowboys struggled with their passing game. Butler deserved to be used more. No, he needed to be used more.
After the season ended, Butler has become a free agent. A free agent that doesn’t want to come back to Dallas. In his recent interview on Undisputed when asked if he would play better than Dez if given a chance he answered: Yes. A bridge burned right there.
.@RealSkipBayless: Do you believe you could’ve been more productive this year if given the opportunities than Dez Bryant?@Brice_Butler: “100%” pic.twitter.com/D3f4fyc2g0
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) January 11, 2018
When asked what was the reason for him being targeted less than Bryant he said: “I think in this league when you think about the business aspect, you gotta follow the money trail. Both of our starters made money, Terrance just got paid last year, there were times last year when I was thinking ‘I’m making plays, why aren’t I on the field?’ ”
Butler never caught more than a 21 pass in a season, but he believes none of that is his fault. This man thinks that he is good enough to be a starter, a role he didn’t have in Dallas, nor in Oakland before that. Yes, Brice has a specific set of skills and can be a useful player in the NFL, but we are not sure if he’s starter caliber. He’s not better than Bryant, not even this Dez we saw last season.
With Brice Butler coming out like this on air, bad-mouthing his teammates, Cowboys would do better without him. No team in the league won’t be willing to offer Butler what Dallas is giving Bryant. Anyway, Butler should have found himself a new home before cutting ties with his current.
