The Denver Broncos are signing St. Louis Battlehawks wide receiver Hakeem Butler on Monday, according to Mike Garafolo.
Hakeem Butler is six foot six and weighs 220 pounds. The 30-year-old from Baltimore, Maryland, was drafted by the Battlehawks in the 2026 UFL Regional College Allocation Draft. In 2026, Butler was named to the All-UFL Team and named the UFL Offensive Player of the Year after finishing the season with 29 catches for 641 yards and three touchdowns in nine games. In the UFL Playoffs, he made three catches for 24 yards.
The Arizona Cardinals drafted Butler in the fourth round (103rd pick) in the 2019 NFL Draft, but he missed the season with a broken hand. After Arizona, Butler spent time with the Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, B.C. Lions and Edmonton Elks. Butler appeared in two NFL regular-season games for the Philadelphia Eagles with no stats, and played one CFL game for the Edmonton Elks in 2022 with one catch for five yards.
In 2022, the St. Louis Battlehawks drafted Butler in the fifth round (33rd pick) in the 2023 XFL Supplemental Draft. In 2023, Butler made 51 catches for 599 yards and eight touchdowns in ten games.
After the season, Butler signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, playing in one preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with one catch for 17 yards before he was waived from injured reserve on August 25, 2023. Then, Butler re-signed with the Battlehawks on December 4, 2023.
In 2024, Butler made 45 catches for 652 yards, five touchdowns, and one tackle (1 solo) in ten games. Butler was named to the All-UFL Team and earned the UFL Offensive Player of the Year Award.
The Battlehawks released him on July 25, 2024, and he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals on July 26, 2024. Butler played three preseason games with one catch for 12 yards. The Bengals released him on August 23, 2024.
Butler re-signed with the Battlehawks on January 2, 2025. In 2025, he made 13 catches for 300 yards and four touchdowns in seven games. In the playoffs, Butler made two catches for 19 yards and one touchdown.
Collegiately, Butler played three seasons at Iowa State (2016-18) with 110 catches for 2,149 yards, 18 touchdowns, and two tackles (2 solos) in 37 games for the Cyclones. Butler was named Second Team All-Big 12 and Second Team All-American in 2018.
