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Brice Butler said he can make an impact in the Arizona Cardinals' search for a No. 2 wide receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald. Butler was signed to a two-year, $2.6 million contract in April despite starting just seven games over five years with the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys. The 28-year-old recorded 15 receptions for 317 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games last season with the Cowboys.
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"Yeah, I'm going to prove it," Butler said, via AZCentral.com. "That's why I came here. I definitely didn't come to not be on the field with Larry. But it's not going to be given to me."
An 11-time Pro Bowl selection, Fitzgerald matched his own franchise record with 109 receptions while amassing 1,556 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season for Arizona. The 34-year-old has recorded 1,234 catches for 15,545 yards with 110 touchdowns in 218 career games since the Cardinals selected him with the third overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft.
Fitzgerald resides 389 receiving yards behind Terrell Owens (15,934) for second place on the NFL's all-time receiving yards list, and also trails Jerry Rice atop the history books (22,895). Fitzgerald, who ranks eighth in touchdown catches, needs 92 receptions to pass tight end Tony Gonzalez (1,325) for second place behind Rice (1,549).
While Fitzgerald's NFL career likely will lead to Canton, Butler received a bit of praise from former Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians. The now-CBS analyst said the following about the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Butler:
"I love the Brice Butler pickup," Arians said. "He's a tall, deep threat. He does what Michael Floyd did -- a big, tall guy that can take the top off [of a defense]. ... I don't know why he didn't get more time last year with Dallas, but the fans out here are going to love this kid.
"He could be the No. 2 guy behind Larry."
Butler will be battling with speedy J.J. Nelson, third-year pro Cobi Hamilton, second-year Chad Williams and 2018 NFL Draft pick Christian Kirk for the honor of being the team's No. 2 wideout.
"It's hard to say right now who's going to be that No. 2," Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks said recently. "We're still working and those guys understand now, and we talk about it all the time, is that the best 11 are going to play. We're trying to create competition. We're trying to get guys to compete, which they are.
"I would say all those guys are in the mix really with that No. 2 position."
Butler spent the past three seasons with the Cowboys. He made his mark in a game in 2017 against Arizona, recording two catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Butler has collected 73 receptions for 1,177 yards and eight scores in 61 career contests with the Raiders and Cowboys. He was selected by Oakland in the seventh round out of San Diego State in the 2013 NFL Draft.
