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Brice Butler traded by Oakland Raiders to Dallas Cowboys

By Chase Ruttig

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Fan favorite Brice Butler’s time in Oakland has come to an end as the speedy wide receiver has been traded to a Super Bowl contender in the NFC East. The Dallas Cowboys making a deal with general manager Reggie McKenzie to send Butler to Texas as a depth replacement for Dez Bryant, who left their Sunday Night Football win over the New York Giants with a foot injury.

Butler was on the inactive list for the Raiders on Sunday, a healthy scratch behind the likes of Rod Streater and Seth Roberts. Nobody expecting a trade out of Butler’s absence, but it appears that the team decided to shop a talented player in a crowded group of receivers to see if they could get value before finding a willing partner in the Cowboys after the Bryant injury.

The reported price for Butler is a conditional fifth round pick along with a sixth round pick from the Raiders as the Cowboys may be getting some value in a player with big play upside that could jump into the Tony Romo led passing attack in Dallas. Butler also reuniting with former Raiders running back Darren McFadden in the Cowboys offense.

Butler was always underused by the Raiders during his time, a player with tons of potential who just never seemed to be valued by whatever coaching staff was on place. Despite that Butler always found his way on the field, mostly through some big preseason games during his career. Now Butler has a major chance to advance his career on a team that has aspirations of winning the NFC East and potentially making a push to the Super Bowl. A drastic switch from trying to make the gameday roster on a rebuilding Raiders team.

As for the Raiders, the move to trade Butler will be unpopular, but the coaching staff has already showed that they will be willing to move players who they don’t feel will be able to make the 53 man roster. Like Sio Moore, fans are bound to be upset over a favorite player being traded for very little in return, but the coaches and McKenzie feel that getting value for Butler is the right move. A big risk for a team that is already drawing the ire of the Raider Nation with their onfield performance.

We will see how it pans out, but it will be hard to fathom the team finding a receiver with the upside that Butler has late in the fifth round come the 2016 NFL Draft with a conditional pick. Making this a headscratcher and a surprise to some. It won’t change the rebuilding Raiders slim chances at being a winning team in 2015, but for a team already losing fan support very early in a dismal start to the season the decision to get rid of Butler will not help stop the questions on if this team is heading in the right direction under Reggie McKenzie at general manager.

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