SAN DIEGO – The question may have been about Victor Butler's ability to make plays, but Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones had Mario Butler on his mind.

“He’s going to be hard to keep off this team,” Jones said after the Cowboys’ 28-20 loss to San Diego on Saturday.

Butler spent last year on the practice squad but had an uneventful offseason. Once training camp began, however, he played much better. Against the Chargers, Butler played cornerback, nickel corner and safety.

“That’s been my goal since Day 1, make it easy for everyone to see me on the field, to show up every night,” Butler said when told of Jones’ comments.

Butler had five tackles against the Chargers, including two when stepping up in run support. He also broke up a pass while playing in the slot.

This summer Butler added safety to his job description, in part because before the team left for California it didn't have enough to practice in the three-day session that featured rookies and selected veterans.

“Just being on the field your thinking changes from each one, from corner to nickel to safety,” Butler said. “It’s little adjustments that you have to make in how you train your mind and your eyes.”

On Mike Willie’s 38-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter, Butler lined up at safety and went for the big hit and missed.

“That’s no excuse,” Butler said. “I’m supposed to make the tackle. That’s one I’ve got to make. That’s one of my errors for the night.”

But the owner was able to overlook it.