situational drills he’s running.

[officialsbaseball]

The forgotten member of last year's deep tight end class makes his NFL debut Saturday night Zdeno Chara Jersey , and Jake Butt is fired up to show he's just as good as O.J. Howard, Evan Engram and David Njoku.

Butt was considered as talented as that trio of first-rounders last year but he slipped all the way to the fifth round, where Denver grabbed him with the 145th overall pick after he tore his right ACL in Michigan's 33-32 loss to Florida State in the Orange Bowl following the 2016 season.

He was the eighth tight end taken overall, one spot ahead of Iowa's George Kittle, who caught 43 passes for 515 yards and two TDs in San Francisco.

While Butt was missing his rookie season and focusing on getting healthy for 2018, he couldn't help but keep tabs on his fellow rookie tight ends as they piled up 230 catches and 26 touchdowns last season.

"Some were arguing it was the best tight end class ever. Yeah, I kept up with them," Butt said Thursday. "Obviously, a lot of those guys did some great things. Evan Engram stands out. I got to see him live in our stadium, he was making some big plays. O.J. Howard, I've known him since high school, just an absolute beast. David Njoku, Adam Shaheen, they did well.

"And now it's my turn to go out there and compete with them and get the right to earn (the title of) who's the best out of that class," Butt said. "Man Authentic Ronald Jones II Jersey , that'll be fun. We'll all be pushing each other."

The Broncos host the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday night, and Butt will line up with the starters.

"He'll be with the first group probably for two series and maybe a little bit afterward, but not much more than that," coach Vance Joseph said.

Butt can't wait.

"I'm just ready to go out there and start playing some real football again," said Butt.

He acknowledged feeling like a wide-eyed rookie.

"This will be my first NFL game, so what my class went through last season this is what I'm going through right now. So, just to get in that stadium, in front of our fans, with my team and being out there actually participating, it's going to be a fun time," Butt said.

Butt is pain-free and has had a solid training camp so far as veteran Jeff Heuerman sits out with a sore knee. "But it's a whole different beast when you get out there and do it live against another team," Butt said. "So, I want to go out there and continue to be technique sound, work my fundamentals, block well."

The Broncos lost their best blocking tight end when Virgil Green signed with the AFC West-rival Los Angeles Chargers this spring Youth Anthony Miller Jersey , and Butt knows blocking is what's going to keep him on the field and allow him the chance to catch up to the rest of the 2017 tight ends class.

"We've got some talented receivers on the outside, so if you can have a tight end that they can't key on whether it's a run or a pass, that's going to put some pressure on that defense," Butt said. "And if you're able to execute, that could translate into some big plays for our offense."

Butt and general manager John Elway were hopeful that Butt would only miss half of his rookie season last year, but it quickly became apparent during the one week he was allowed to practice that he'd be better off waiting until 2018.

"The hardest part about last year was not knowing," Butt said. "Being on PUP, you're waiting, you're waiting, you're waiting and you don't know if you're going to have to wait longer. But once they shut me down for the year, it just became a focus of let me get as healthy as possible for 2018."

Butt was one of several members of the Broncos' 2017 draft class who played very little (DeMarcus Walker, De'Angelo Henderson) or not at all (Chad Kelly, Carlos Henderson) last season.

There's been a lot of buzz about this year's loaded draft class . If Butt can return to form, though, he'll give a boost to the 2017 class that's taken heat for its many mistakes and immaturity.

"I think our story's still being written Youth Daryl Worley Jersey ," Butt said.

And he could be the lead author.

Notes: Unlike last year, Von Miller will play in the preseason opener. "He's totally healthy, he's had a great camp and we have no reason not to play Von," Joseph said. "Von's in great health and good spirits, so why not?" ... Heuerman, S Su'a Cravens (knee) and OL Menelik Watson (chest) won't play.

With three days left in the NBA regular season, the Western Conference playoff picture is as murky as a swamp. Five teams are battling for the last four seeds and the order after the top two is still uncertain.

Two of the teams, on different paths, clash Monday night in Denver. The Portland Trail Blazers (48-32) have clinched a spot and are clinging to the third seed but have lost three in a row. The Denver Nuggets (45-35) are sitting ninth but are streaking, having won five straight.

The game has big meaning for both teams. The Blazers are trying to hold off the Utah Jazz to stay in the third spot, but they have stumbled. Their postseason seed will likely be determined when they host the Jazz on Wednesday night, but they aren’t worried about their current losing streak.

“We’re good,” guard CJ McCollum said after Saturday night’s loss in San Antonio. “If you had told me that we have 48 wins and have two games left and a chance to finish in third place, I would have told you I’ll take it.

“Considering where we’re at, there’s no excuses for injuries and stuff like that Fred Warner Jersey , but I feel like we’re heading in the right direction heading to the playoffs. We should be fully healthy or close to fully healthy and I think that will make a difference.”

Damian Lillard scored 33 points in the loss after missing one game with a sprained left ankle, and he’ll be ready to go against Denver on Monday night.

He’ll need to be the way the Nuggets have played of late. After escaping with two overtime victories last week, Denver has racked up three more solid wins. The 134-115 victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon eliminated the Clippers and kept the Nuggets’ playoff hopes alive.

Denver probably must win its last two games — Monday and Wednesday in Minnesota — to make the postseason for the first time in five years, but they are a confident bunch.

“We’re playing get-it-done basketball,” Denver coach Michael Malone said after the win in L.A. “We’re finding ways to get the job done.”

The streak has been impressive because it has come without second leading scorer Gary Harris, who has missed 11 games with a sprained right knee. He isn’t expected back for the remaining two games of the regular season, but in his absence others have stepped up.

Lately it has been Will Barton, who had 31 points in Saturday’s win.

“I relish in those moments,” Barton said Saturday. “I’d rather have (Harris) there, of course, especially with what we’re trying to accomplish. But one man down, I just gotta take it upon myself to be better.”

The Nuggets as a whole have been better, and it has put them on the brink of a playoff berth. It won’t be easy. The Trail Blazers are trying to get back on track before the start of the postseason, so both teams will have something big to play for.

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