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Emmanuel Butler - WR New Orleans Saints (1 Viewer)

Casting Couch

Casting Couch

Footballguy
Great situation for a kid who is making a big splash in the Big Easy.

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Saints rookie WR Emmanuel Butler has been "turning heads" this offseason.

Butler (6'3/221) is an undrafted free agent out of Northern Arizona who showed 4.48 speed and a 36-inch vertical at the Lumberjacks' Pro Day. At NAU, Butler posted 3,217 career yards and 33 career touchdowns with a 17.2 yards per reception average. Butler will be battling for a roster spot in the preseason.

SOURCE: Herbie Teope on Twitter

Jul 28, 2019, 2:10 PM ET

 
Herbie Teope @herbieteope

Guess what? Saints rookie WR Emmanuel Butler just has another leaping catch on a back shoulder throw from Drew Brees during 11-on-11 drills. CB Marshon Lattimore on the coverage.
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Dang it, Casting Couch! :D  

JK ... my leagues are full of Saints homers. Dude might even get taken as a WR5 in shallow-ish roster redrafts.

 
kittenmittens said:
saintfool said:
TreQuan might want to look over his shoulder and get his act together. 
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Whats wrong with his act? Seriously asking. 
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This is about as good a summary breakdown I've seen of Tre'Quan Smith's struggles last year. 

In short, he came into the league with two big flaws: 1) lack of a good press-beating initial move, and 2) a small effective catch radius relative to his body type. Smith was still struggling with both issues throughout most of the 2018 regular season.

Additionally ... something I heard on local sports radio last night: Tre'Quan Smith told reporters yesterday that coming into this season, he now understands all three WR positions (X, Z, and slot), whereas last year he only knew his own assignments going into each game. His comment wasn't in the context of "Why did I struggle in 2018?", but IMHO it was telling -- sounded like he was still engaged in making the mental adjustments from the college game to the pro game and very little was yet second nature. Therefore, once on the field, too much thinking and not enough reacting.

Strongly in his favor is that Smith is good kid who accepts criticism and coaching well. Saints WR coach Curtis Johnson has elevated many fair-to-middling guys during his Saints tenure. Here's hoping Tre-Quan Smith can be another success story.

 
Doug B said:
This is about as good a summary breakdown I've seen of Tre'Quan Smith's struggles last year. 

In short, he came into the league with two big flaws: 1) lack of a good press-beating initial move, and 2) a small effective catch radius relative to his body type. Smith was still struggling with both issues throughout most of the 2018 regular season.

Additionally ... something I heard on local sports radio last night: Tre'Quan Smith told reporters yesterday that coming into this season, he now understands all three WR positions (X, Z, and slot), whereas last year he only knew his own assignments going into each game. His comment wasn't in the context of "Why did I struggle in 2018?", but IMHO it was telling -- sounded like he was still engaged in making the mental adjustments from the college game to the pro game and very little was yet second nature. Therefore, once on the field, too much thinking and not enough reacting.

Strongly in his favor is that Smith is good kid who accepts criticism and coaching well. Saints WR coach Curtis Johnson has elevated many fair-to-middling guys during his Saints tenure. Here's hoping Tre-Quan Smith can be another success story.
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Thanks, this sounds more along the lines of what I had read.  Just more developing he needs to do... his act is together but the results have not come quite yet? 

 
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kittenmittens said:
Thanks, this sounds more along the lines of what I had read.  Just more developing he needs to do... his act is together but the results have not come quite yet? 
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he had flashes in games last year. some folks - myself included - have put it on a need for consistency because Brees demands that. if he cannot trust you then you're not going to get regularly targeted. now, the consistency for a player may be limited to targets in specific situations (ex, Willie Snead and 3rd down). Once he knows you're good for your perceived role then you're a made man. Colston, Ben Watson, Michael Thomas, Pierre Thomas, and others thrived because they earned his trust. TreQuan will get opportunities but he may be in danger of falling behind guys like Butler, Kirkwood, Ginn and others in the frequency. 

 
What saintfool said. Tre'Quan Smith could take a big step up in 2019 ... or he could be Nick Toon all over again. Toon had the pedigree, the frame, and the athleticism to be a solid pro WR -- but he didn't have enough of the WR skillset needed to succeed in the NFL.

Slight counterpoint: Curtis Johnson was coaching at Tulane when Toon was in New Orleans. 

Fantasy upshot: If I'm making a call now, Tre'Quan Smith does not belong on an opening-day redraft roster. Stay tuned and see what he does in September and October. The July tea leaves are hazy.

 
Dang, this Emmanuel Butler coming out party has somehow morphed into a Tre'Quan Smith thread.   :hijacked:

(I grabbed EB in all possible dynasty leagues)

 
Ron_Mexico said:
Dang, this Emmanuel Butler coming out party has somehow morphed into a Tre'Quan Smith thread.   :hijacked:
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Bringing it back to Butler ... I guess some observers feel like Tre'Quan Smith is Butler's main competition for snaps. And that since Smith has a year in the system and was a draft pick, that he has a natural leg up over Butler.

However, something to keep in mind is that Sean Payton WILL put the performing player on the field over anyone who doesn't perform. Draft status and recent past history don't matter. Really, it's WAY too early to anoint Butler -- the point is just that if Butler outplays Smith, Payton won't stubbornly feed Smith targets just because he was a draft pick.

Drew Brees is the same way: he doesn't care how you got to the team, only that you consistently make the catches he's sending your way. That's how 7th rounders like Marques Colston and FAs like Lance Moore got ahead of 1st round pick Robert Meacham and 2nd round pick Devery Henderson. UDFA Pierre Thomas over 4th rounder Michael Pittman (going into the Wayback Machine for those references :D  ).

 
I'd second that. Butler can get hyped here - be my guest! - but I'd think more likely that Smith and/or Kirkwood will get more opportunities. They have more familiarity with the offense after all. Kirkwood has been getting nice review in camp and reps with the 1s while Thomas held out albeit briefly. 

 
Butler left Tuesday's practice with an undisclosed injury. He was able to leave the field unassisted. Still, he hasn't yet returned to the practice field -- he's been a scratch yesterday and today after Wednesday's off-day. UDFA's like Butler need practice reps and need live reps during preseason games. Hoping it's just precautionary and Butler returns to the practice field soon.

 
This is Bridgewater to Butler, but Brees loves the big body receiver who can get separation, which is what he loved about Colston and now Thomas.

- The receiver situation was pretty sketchy at times last year but Kirkwood is still to be reckoned with.

- Cyril Grayson is regularly running by solid DBs as well.

 
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Butler returned to practice today. No splash plays today, but he was out there.  Butler also was seen spending extra time with the JUGS machine after the main offense-defense portion of practice ended.

Probably "no way", but I am interested to see if Butler gets any first-team snaps in 3- or 4-WR sets Friday. Keith Kirkwood has also been missing from practice since he got hurt last Thursday. 

 
Saints' training camp star Emmanuel Butler 'back to 100 percent' after injury

NEW ORLEANS — Emmanuel Butler says he is devout in his faith, and he needed to lean on it these last few weeks.

The undrafted rookie wide receiver out of Northern Arizona was the talk of the first few days of New Orleans Saints training camp. The New Orleans quarterbacks seemed to sense in Butler’s athletic 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame a cheat code they could use, and Butler frequently cashed in on his chances to make the evening news with a highlight-reel catch.

It was after a couple days of stringing practices like those together that had coach Sean Payton saying, “He has been intriguing. He has made a play a couple plays each day. He's big. I'm excited.”

Just as fast as Butler’s momentum swelled it halted. 

He exited the Saints’ July 30 practice with an undisclosed injury, left the facility that afternoon in a walking boot and did not return to practice until more than a week of camp had passed.

An undrafted rookie missing a week of training camp is no small thing. Making things even tougher is the fact that Butler did not play a snap in the Saints preseason opener despite returning for a light practice a few days earlier, giving him one less chance to make an impression in a live game setting.

And yet, here was Butler taking a podium Sunday (August 11) afternoon, grinning and telling anyone who would listen “I’m right where God wants me.”

“Just because things got delayed doesn’t mean it’s denied,” Butler said. 

While he was working his way back to full strength, Butler took efforts to make sure his time was not going to waste. 

He got in his playbook and tried to soak up every bit of it. Currently the Saints are limiting him to playing the “X” receiver position, but Butler wants to master all the receiver positions in the Saints’ offense. 

Butler was back in uniform two days before the Saints preseason opener, but was held out of the contest after participating in warmups with his teammates. He was disappointed he did not get an opportunity to contribute, but still found a way to take a positive away from the evening.

“It was a great experience,” Butler said. “My first time on an NFL sideline during the game, my first time being able to suit up, my first time in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.” 

Butler was back out on the practice field Sunday (August 11). This particular practice did not necessarily include the spectacular grabs that drew attention early in training camp, but instead Butler showed he could make the routine plays when called upon, too. 

And, the most important thing, Butler feels like the same player he did before the July 30 injury. 

“I’m back to 100 percent, it feels great,” Butler said. “God is amazing.” 
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LBH said:
Yeah I think they’d be worried about losing him if they try and get him on the practice squad. My best guess is he makes it
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I dont think theres a scenario where he sneaks onto the practice squad; there are teams that I think would scoop him up quickly. 

Trying to figure out my own cuts and I don't want to cut him if I can help it

 
Dr. Dan said:
Anyone think "eBay" makes the team?  
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Butler has done well this pre-season, but his spot on the 53-man is iffier than it might look from outside.

1) The Saints have a few extra roster spots taken up that could normally be used to carry a developmental guy like Butler. 3rd QB Taysom Hill. A spot being used to hold DT Sheldon Rankins off of IR. One of the WR slots being unexpectedly taken up by KR/WR Deonte Harris instead of KR/DB Marcus Sherels (who will likely be cut). 

2) While Butler scored last night, he did have rough drops in each of the two games he's played. He probably needs seasoning at the pro level to achieve greater consistently and earn the trust of Drew Brees and Sean Payton

3) Drew Brees raved earlier this week about WR Austin Carr, who's been the 50-somethingth man on the Saints roster for the last two seasons. A few weeks ago, Butler was looking like he was going to make Carr a no-brainer cut ... but Brees is not one to set up a teammate in the media. Carr is making the 53 for sure --  Butler is in limbo.

4) If Butler makes the team, either Keith Kirkwood is cut or someone else at another position group is surprisingly cut or placed on IR. The path to the 53-man is not crystal clear for Butler ... but it could depend on something like "Is it easier to sneak Kirkwood onto the PS than Butler?" 

 
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This guy is a pretty keen local observer of the Saints. He wrote this two days ago ... but if he's close on his 53-man projection, someone like TE Alize Mack could be sent to the PS to open a seventh WR slot for Butler.

LB Craig Robertson could also go to IR-designated-to-return to get Butler on the opening day roster. Because of the offensive packages the Texans (Wk 1) and Rams (Wk 2) run, the Saints will play mostly 2 LB defensive sets against those opponents, and thus could get by for two weeks carrying 5 LBs. That would be another way to shoehorn Butler onto the roster.

Or else switch out Kirkwood for Butler.

EDIT: Pointed out on Saintsreport that Kirkwood could also get the IR-designated-to-return label -- he has missed most of camp.

 
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Just read that a player has to be on the Week 1 53-man roster to be placed on IR-designated to return. So if the Saints want to place someone on THAT list to make space for Butler ... Butler has to be released, clear waivers, and then sign to the Saints PS or active roster. I guess the Saints could IR LB Robertson or WR Kirkwood all 16 games to keep Butler.

 
Forgot that DT David Onyemata is suspended for Week 1 -- that's a free spot for one week to get Butler on the 53-man.

 
Butler would at least have a chance to catch on elsewhere if he does get cut.  Minnesota has to be picking up somebody to take over that WR3 role.  Can't see them letting tiny and slow Chad Beebe hold down that role for too long. Seattle is in shambles at WR right now. 

I'm guessing they hold on to him though.  Won't be long until we find out. 

 
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kittenmittens said:
Butler would at least have a chance to catch on elsewhere if he does get cut.  Minnesota has to be picking up somebody to take over that WR3 role.  Can't see them letting tiny and slow Chad Beebe hold down that role for too long. Seattle is in shambles at WR right now. 

I'm guessing they hold on to him though.  Won't be long until we find out. 
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Olabisi Johnson might get that 3 spot in Minnesota.

 
Dr. Dan said:
I dont think theres a scenario where he sneaks onto the practice squad; there are teams that I think would scoop him up quickly. 

Trying to figure out my own cuts and I don't want to cut him if I can help it
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If it helps, I cut him a few weeks ago and he’s still sitting out there.  12 team, 24 man roster Dynasty.  People are too busy trying to cut down to 24 to pick him up. 

That being said I'm struggling with what to do with Jackobi Meyers. 😬

 
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Saints waived WR Emmanuel Butler.

A rookie UDFA out of Northern Arizona, Butler was running with the ones and twos at times this summer and drew some big praise during camp. It wasn't enough to crack the 53-man roster, though Butler could be an option for the practice squad. Drops were Butler's downfall this preseason.

RELATED: 

New Orleans Saints

Aug 31, 2019, 4:46 PM ET
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