Pickerington’s Butt dons pads after long injury layoff

Jake Butt couldn't help but get a little nostalgic over the simple routine of putting all his pads on again.

Reasonable. It's been a while.

The Denver Broncos tight end returned to the field in full gear Tuesday for the first time since tearing the ACL in his right knee against Florida State in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30, 2016.

"I kind of thought about it when I put on the pants. It was like, ' Man, I haven't put on the pads in almost two years,' "the Pickerington North graduate and former Michigan standout said.

"It was exciting. It felt good out there."

His career was put on hold last season as he recovered from the knee injury that caused him to slip to the fifth round of the 2017 draft. The Broncos were hopeful to have him back for the second half last season, but he wasn't ready and went on injured reserve.

Butt said Tuesday that his knee feels "100 percent" again. He wasn't wearing a protective brace when the team donned full pads.

He could be a big boost to the tight end corps. The 6- foot- 6, 250- pounder won the John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end his senior season at Michigan.

Butt has plenty of competition in a tight end group that has deep Big Ten roots. Among them are Jeff Heuerman, a thirdround pick in 2015 from Ohio State who currently is sidelined by a balky knee, and rookie Troy Fumagalli, a fifth- round pick out of Wisconsin.

Oakland cornerback Gareon Conley, a former Ohio State player, is dealing with another training camp injury and is expected to miss at least two weeks because of a hip strain. Conley has not practiced since the first day of training camp last week. Coach Jon Gruden did not specify how long Conley’s recovery will take, but the 24th overall pick in 2017 likely will miss an exhibition game Aug. 10. … Minnesota signed receiver Stefon Diggs to a five- year extension that moved him into the NFL’s top 10 highest- paid players at his position. Diggs has yet to post a 1,000- yard or 100- catch season, but his new deal is valued at $ 72 million plus an additional $ 9 million in possible incentives.