Getty The Detroit Lions could bring on a star player from the UFL for wide receiver help.
The Detroit Lions‘ roster is pretty solid going into the 2024 season, but they’re on the hunt for an additional receiver.
Right now, Detroit has a solid receiver lineup in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond. But, they want to keep their offense as sharp as possible, and that’s where a former UFL star comes into play.
The Cincinnati Bengals have waived wide receiver Hakeem Butler, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, along with 10 other players. Butler could fit the bill for just what Detroit needs.
Bengals announced they waived 11 players:
–WR Hakeem Butler
–HB Noah Cain
–OT Jackson Carman
–DE Andre Carter
–LB Aaron Casey
–S Michael Dowell
–CB Allan George
–WR Kwamie Lassiter II
–QB Rocky Lombardi
–G Eric Miller
–DT Joshua Pryor
WR Hakeem Butler to the Lions?
Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate Butler’s availability. “Hakeem Butler, you say?” he posted, along with a June 2024 feature he did about Butler and how he could be a good fit for Detroit.
In the article, Reisman notes that during the 2023 season, “Butler was a standout in the XFL” and “led the league in receiving touchdowns (eight) and finished second in yardage (599) in just eight games.” Then, Reisman notes that during his time in the UFL in 2024, “Butler was named Offensive Player of the Year after catching 45 passes for 652 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games.”
Reisman added, “The XFL and UFL have given Butler a chance to actually develop his skills in game situations. And while there may still be legitimate concerns about his ability to separate, it’s clear this guy deserves another shot at the NFL, and the Lions would be a great place for him to land. In Detroit, there would be both opportunity and a strong coaching staff to help develop his game even further.”
Reisman also called Butler “a tall, speedy receiver who would give the Lions a weapon who can haul in contested catches.”
Butler was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cardinals. He missed his first season with the Cardinals due to a broken hand and was cut before playing a game for them. In 2020, the Philadelphia Eagles brought Butler on as a tight end. After two games, he was let go and headed to the CFL. Butler also spent the 2023 spring and summer with the Steelers.
The Detroit Lions’ Current Receivers
Dan Campbell discussed the Lions’ current three receivers in an August 20 meeting with reporters, and when it came to Raymond, he made it clear that Raymond is Detroit’s third receiver, behind St. Brown and Williams.
“He is receiver three right now,” Campbell said of Raymond via the New York Times. “The idea has always been we love Leaf as a returner and Leaf brings a different skill set to the receiver position. He’s got a little gadgetry, he’s got some quickness underneath and he’s a returner. To maximize both, boy, you’d love to (play him) 20 plays a game, 25 plays a game. So, we’d rather not play him 65 plays a game, but we will if we have to.”
Campbell added, “So yeah, he’s receiver three right now and that’s fine. But that’s why it would be nice to have somebody step up because that just helps the room and I think it makes everybody a little more potent, that’s all.”
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