Pro Football Rumors
Hakeem Butler has stood out during his time in United Football League. Success in the spring has resulted in another opportunity at the NFL level.
The veteran receiver has agreed to a deal with the Broncos, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. With the United Bowl having taken place this past Saturday, UFL players are now free to sign with NFL teams. Butler will join Denver for minicamp this week and aim to carve out a role during training camp in the summer. Shortly before the title game, Fox Sports’ Eric Williams noted Butler’s desire to attempt an NFL return.
As the UFL’s Offensive Player of the Year winner in 2024, Butler represented a strong candidate to receive a second look in the NFL provided he delivered another strong showing. He did just that, taking home OPoY honors once more and adding another All-UFL accolade to his resume. The 30-year-old led the spring league with 641 receiving yards in nine games while playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2026. Butler averaged 22.1 yards per catch this year.
A 2019 fourth-round pick of the Cardinals, Butler bounced around to several teams during his first NFL stint. He has made two regular-season appearances in his career to date (both of which came as a member of the Eagles in 2020). Butler’s combination of size – 6-5, 227 pounds – and speed has not yet allowed him to earn a full-time gig in the NFL. It will be interesting to see if he can do so on a Broncos team which added Jaylen Waddle via trade earlier this offseason. He will be joined by the likes of Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant on the WR depth chart.
Denver entered Monday with nearly $30MM in cap space. This Butler signing will not use up much of that figure, so further roster moves leading up to training camp will be possible.
