Courtland Sutton, a Denver Broncos wide receiver, has been linked to the NFL rumour mill for several years. Each year, trade rumours about Sutton flare up, and they don’t die down until the NFL trade deadline arrives — then they resurface when the calendar turns over to the next league year.
Sutton made actual news earlier this week when he decided to miss Denver’s voluntary OTAs. According to reports, Sutton is concerned about his future and the lack of guaranteed pay and is looking for a new deal.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton have been in communication with Sutton and believe he is “in a good place,” but the phone has not stopped ringing. With less than a week until the 2024 NFL draft, the Broncos have reportedly received many trade inquiries about Sutton, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but are signalling that they are not interested in moving him.
“According to sources, the Broncos have had many trade queries about wide receiver Courtland Sutton. “The Broncos do not intend to trade Sutton, who is skipping voluntary workouts due to his contract,” Fowler tweeted on Saturday.
These trade inquiries could be triggered by the impending realities of the draft, or they could be the result of him missing optional OTA sessions. In either case, there is a market for Sutton.
Sutton’s basic pay for the 2024 season is set at $13 million. Only $2 million of this money is guaranteed. The Broncos must decide not just if he is more valuable to them as a roster receiver or as a trade item, but also whether keeping him happy and awarding him a new contract is worthwhile.
Sutton is only 28 years old and entering his seventh year. He’s currently under contract with a term that will expire shortly after he turns 30.
The Broncos can make a reasonable wager, and have done so with his current contract, that Sutton will continue to produce consistently until he reaches the age of 30. However, when a receiver reaches the proverbial wall, it usually happens quickly and shortly after reaching the wrong side of 30.
If the Broncos continue to value Sutton — he did generate 10 touchdowns and 700-plus yards in a run-heavy offence last year — they may be able to have it both ways. In the closing stretch of cornerback Chris Harris, Jr.’s career, then-Broncos general manager John Elway took the unprecedented decision to pay the All-Pro an additional $3 million in 2019 to keep him happy.
The Broncos would not absolutely need to offer Sutton more money, but boosting the guarantees on his already $13 million salary might be no problem for the organization, assuming he is still respected and fits into the executives’ vision for the next year or two. His contract continues until the 2025 season.
However, if Sean Payton is unsure about Sutton’s role on the club, increasing his guarantees would only complicate matters if the Broncos decide to cut or move him this season. While no player is untouchable in Denver’s rebuild, including Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Surtain II, Sutton is a crucial asset to the team.
For a rebuilding club like Denver, having a veteran X receiver who can consistently produce in the face of QB inconsistency is extremely beneficial. At the very least, Sutton has demonstrated that he can thrive in the midst of a quarterback carousel.
Take his 2019 campaign as an example. Sutton gained nearly 1,200 yards and six touchdowns while collecting receptions from three starting quarterbacks, including veterans Joe Flacco and Brandon Allen, and youngster Drew Lock. That season, Sutton received his sole Pro Bowl invitation.
Sutton tore his ACL early the following season, and while it took him a few seasons to regain his game legs after the injury, he found a way to make hay with Lock and Teddy Bridgewater in 2021 and a wildly inconsistent Russell Wilson in 2022. Sutton’s performance last year with Wilson is the best testament to his ability to shift the needle for the Broncos despite poor quarterback play.
So there is some value there. And, really, if the most the Broncos could get for a much younger Jerry Jeudy was a couple of late-round selections, there’s no reason to expect Sutton could garner much more in a deal.
Now, if the Broncos were looking to trade up from the No. 12 overall pick to grab a quarterback, and having Sutton in the potential package would be the cherry on top to seal the deal, that would be a no-brainer. But that is improbable.
Surtain is the cherry on top of any prospective move up into the top ten picks in the draft. With trade rumours flying about Broncos headquarters, we’ll have some answers next Thursday, April 25, when the draft begins.
Leave a Reply