Jeremy Butler caught everybody's attention during offseason practices.
The wide receiver flashed great hands and playmaking ability, and quarterback Joe Flacco said after June's minicamp that Butler "was incredible."
But that boiling hot start turned to a simmer as the Ravens went through training camp and the preseason, and Butler ultimately ended up on the team's practice squad to start the season. He spent the first six games on the practice squad before getting called up to the active roster.
Butler eventually worked his way into the lineup and is now splitting reps with Chris Givens as the No. 2 receiver.
"I'd like to think he's on his way," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "He's going to make more and more plays. He's a guy that can go up and get a ball."
Butler had three catches for 27 yards last week against the Browns, and he has eight snags for 93 yards on the year. He was targeted four times last week, the most for a receiver other than top target Kamar Aiken.
The more experience he gets, the bigger his role is on offense.
"You have to trust that you belong and trust you're here for a reason," Butler said. "Of course when come out and see all the cameras, but after the first play or two you calm down, get into your routine and understand you have a game to win."
Butler has also impressed the coaches with the grunt work he's done that often goes unnoticed in the stat sheet. He threw himself into some blocks down the field, including running back Buck Allen's 21-yard carry.
"I really liked how hard he played. That was the thing," Harbaugh said. "The thing I really liked was he was chasing down blocks. He was getting in position to block people, getting out in front of ball carriers, made a couple catches."
Butler has potential to give the Ravens an element to the offense they've been seeking since Steve Smith Sr. went on injured reserve. He can work the sidelines to make contested catches for big plays, and quarterback Matt Schaub wants to give him more opportunities to make that happen.
"[He's] a playmaker," Schaub said. "[He has] very crisp route running and has a knack for getting open at the moment that the ball is going to be delivered. [I have] a lot of confidence in his ability to make some plays."
Butler actually has a bit of an advantage with Schaub now at the helm because the two of them have been working together all year. Before last week, Schaub was the scout team quarterback and Butler was his receiver.
Schaub has more of a rapport with Butler than probably any other receiver on the roster.
"We kind of have a bond and a connection there a little bit," Schaub said. "He has made a ton of plays for us, and we've seen it in practice. I've seen it all offseason through training camp. He was in my huddle a lot with the 'twos,' so [I have] a lot of confidence in him."
"I trust him and he trusts me," Butler added. "He puts the ball up, and my job is to go get it for him. We've been working all season, and now everything kind of fell into place, so it's great chemistry."
The Ravens now just need Butler to continue building his familiarity playing in NFL games. He spent last year on injured reserve after signing with the Ravens as an undrafted rookie, and only has three games under his belt.
"I want to see him even continue to play faster," Harbaugh said. "We have high expectations for Jeremy."
