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If, like ESPN's Todd Archer, you were wondering "how the Dallas Cowboys will replace Dez Bryant over the next four, six, eight, whatever-it-takes weeks after the receiver had foot surgery Monday night," the Cowboys may have answered part of your question today.
Multiple sources are reporting that the Cowboys traded for Oakland Raiders wide receiver Brice Butler, and Butler himself tweeted that he will join the Cowboys.
Now it's time to play for Americas team! #CowboysNation I'm coming!!!
— Brice Butler (@Brice_Butler) September 15, 2015
The 6'3", 214-pound Butler was entering his third season in the NFL with the Raiders, who drafted him in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. He caught 30 passes for 383 yards and 2 touchdowns in his two seasons in Oakland.
Butler played well for the Raiders in preseason the past two years, and this year caught 15 passes for 175 yards in the preseason. However, he's also failed to catch on in two years in Oakland so far, and Bay Area News Group's Jerry McDonald suggested that part of the reason may have been mental errors that saw him buried on the depth chart. But the Raiders apparently saw enough potential in Butler to keep him on their 53-man roster this season. Oakland had been carrying six receivers on their roster, so they could afford to trade one of them. Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram has the trade details.
If @Brice_Butler is on the Cowboys' 53-player roster for six games, Dallas will swap its fifth-round pick for the Raiders' sixth in 2016.
— Charean Williams (@NFLCharean) September 15, 2015
If the season goes according to plan in Dallas and goes according to expectations in Oakland, the net cost of this trade may not be more than a handful of draft spots between the bottom of the fith round and the top of the sixth round.
The Cowboys were clear that they were going to add a receiver, and at 6'3", 214 lbs, and with a 4.37 forty time, Butler is a "ridiculous size/speed athlete", and exactly what the team is looking for on the outside.
Raw. But a ridiculous size/speed athlete: 6-3, 214...4.37 40-yard dash...39" vert...10'09" Broad...6.70 3-cone https://t.co/c2A8a3oSYM
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 15, 2015
Now it's time for the Cowboys to take a stab at turning that potential into production.
Just talked to #NFC personnel director. Thinks #Cowboys get good WR in Brice Butler. Tall, athletic, can play now.
— Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) September 15, 2015