Nick Kosmider·
Arguably the best catch of Denver’s offseason program — or at least among the sessions open to reporters — was made by a 30-year-old during
his second day with the team. Hakeem Butler, the UFL offensive player of the year in 2026, signed with the Broncos on Monday and quickly made an impression. His highlight was a contested catch on a deep ball from Jarrett Stidham that Butler ripped away from undrafted rookie cornerback Ahmari Harvey for a touchdown. Butler, whose 6-foot-5, 227-pound frame makes him the biggest receiver in Denver’s room, was an Arizona Cardinals fourth-round pick out of Iowa State in 2019. He missed his entire rookie season with a hand injury and was waived by the Cardinals before the 2020 season. He spent most of the next season on the practice squad of the Philadelphia Eagles, who converted him to tight end. He saw action in two games, but did not record a catch. Butler has lived a wandering football life ever since. He had offseason stints in the CFL, but never played a game in the league. He spent training camps with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2023) and Cincinnati Bengals (2024), but he didn’t crack either team’s roster or practice squad.