At this point In almost feel like I’m making a plea with the Detroit Lions. I’m ready to go to the facility with a giant poster of this guy and put it on Brad Holmes desk. I’ll buy billboards and put them up outside of the Meijer Performance Center. Whatever it takes. He shouldn’t even be available.

The Lions opened up a roster spot on Wednesday when they waived guard Matt Farniok. They need to sign UFL Offensive Player of the Year Hakeem Butler to that open spot on their training camp roster. Here’s why:

I believe teams are missing out on this guy and it’s all circumstantial. Butler’s had some bad luck in the league. He was a fourth round pick by the Cardinals in 2019, but broke his hand during camp and missed his entire rookie season.

Then the Cardinals waived him and he was signed to the Panthers practice squad. He was in Carolina for a little over a week before the Eagles poached him off the Panthers practice squad and signed him to their active roster. They tried to convert Butler to tight end despite him always being a receiver. That didn’t work out. Last year he got another shot in the NFL with the Steelers and then got hurt in camp.

Butler has become a better player with each passing year, he’s just had some trouble getting off the starting block in the NFL. But it’s where he should be. Even legendary NFL coach Wade Phillips knows that. He told him so on national television during the UFL playoffs. He went as far as saying he would talk to people he knows in the NFL.

Phillips happens to know a couple guys in Detroit that have some pull. That’s Brad Holmes and Ray Agnew. Phillips was on the Rams’ coaching staff when both guys were part of the team’s front office. If it helps, David Montgomery was Butler’s teammate at Iowa State. He’s already vouched for him. Lions tight ends coach Steve Heiden was on the Cardinals’ coaching staff when Butler was there. Maybe he can put in a good word too.

Butler has everything this team is looking for in terms of size and athletic ability. He’s 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds and can get down field and make contested catches. The team is still looking for it’s X receiver and it does not get any cheaper than this right here.

Butler can be good in the NFL if he can just find the right spot for him and stay healthy. Detroit is that right spot. They have the opening he needs and he can come in and be that WR3. Even if it doesn’t work out, there’s just so little risk here. It’s worth it Brad.