Chicago Bears: 5 valuable offensive free agents still available
By Ryan Heckman
Valuable offensive free agents the Chicago Bears can still sign: Jake Butt
Back in 2017, one of the more notable names to come out of the draft at the tight end position was Michigan’s Jake Butt. He ended up going in the fifth round that year to the Denver Broncos. He fell in the draft due to a torn ACL during his senior season, and the recovery lasted through his entire rookie year with Denver.
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In 2018, he re-aggravated that same knee and only appeared in three games, getting placed on injured reserve. The next season, complications to that injury forced him to miss all of 2019. Then, in 2020, Butt played in only five games due to a myriad of reasons.
After not being brought back this offseason, Butt showed nothing except love to Denver, but also acknowledged he’s ready to put injuries behind him and prove he can play at a high level in this league.
In eight career games, Butt has just 10 receptions for 90 yards. That’s quite a small amount of production for a guy drafted in 2017, however if he is truly healthy, Butt’s skill set is one that should get some looks around the league.
The Bears, if nothing else, should take a flier on Butt and allow him to compete in training camp. If he’s able to stay healthy, there’s no reason he can’t make it as the fourth tight end on the roster. Maybe, just maybe, the Bears could be part of his redemption story.