The Broncos’ offseason could mirror a 2,000-piece puzzle. Head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton will have to spend an extensive amount of time putting the right pieces in place to field a competitive roster while facing steep salary cap limitations in 2024.
Denver’s offense will require a thorough look for obvious reasons. While the Broncos improved from their lackluster effort in 2022, they didn’t move mountains under Payton, finishing 26th in total yards per game (298.4) and 19th in points per game (21).
The team’s play-caller admitted as much when addressing reporters last month.
“I would say we’re not building on that foundation yet; we’re still putting the pilings in based on what I saw,” Payton said.
Denver’s passing game will look different with the strong possibility of a new quarterback being under center come Week 1. But change is unlikely to stop there. If the team parts ways with Russell Wilson, forcing it to swallow $85 million in dead money over the next two seasons, Denver will be in a position where it has to make cost-cutting moves — which could lead to a shakeup at wide receiver.
The Broncos trio of Jerry Jeudy ($12.987 million), Courtland Sutton ($17.395 million) and Tim Patrick ($15.571 million) are due a combined cap hit of $45.9 million in 2024, according to Over The Cap. Even though they haven’t shown their full potential as a group, that’s a lot of money for a trio that’s started just four games together since 2020.
But Denver toying with the idea of separating its top wideouts is about more than just financial reasons.
In the four games Jeudy, Patrick and Sutton did start together, they combined for one touchdown, while none exceeded 100 receiving yards in a single game. The Broncos’ quarterbacks in those games were Jeff Driskel, Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock. But for the most part, their production hasn’t warranted the investment.
Patrick is coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries and is a potential candidate to get his contract reworked since a majority of his 2024 salary isn’t guaranteed. The latter is also true of Sutton, who totaled 772 receiving yards last season and finished tied for fourth in the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 10 but hasn’t had a 100-yard game since Sept. 18, 2022.
Jeudy, the 15th overall draft pick in 2020, has yet to blossom into a true No. 1 receiver while playing for three different head coaches and offensive coordinators.
Playing under head coach No. 3, Jeudy struggled to find a groove in Payton’s offense. He averaged 47.4 yards per game — second-lowest of his career — and had two receiving touchdowns. He topped 60 yards just four times all season, with his most productive game (five receptions, 81 yards) coming in the infamous Week 2 blowout loss at Miami.
During the team’s locker room cleanout in January, Jeudy blamed a lack of targets for his dip in production. Jeudy finished with 87 targets, second on the team behind Sutton with 90. That was 13 fewer than the previous season, as there were moments when he was open, but Wilson didn’t see him.
Earlier in the season, Payton spoke on Jeudy’s frustrations about the lack of involvement on offense: “He’s dying to break out, and part of it is us and me giving him those opportunities.”
That breakout never happened.
Unlike Sutton and Patrick, all of Jeudy’s $12.9 million salary in 2024 is guaranteed thanks to Denver exercising his fifth-year option last spring. But that won’t keep the Broncos from taking a closer look at his role. Jeudy’s name has surfaced in trade rumors for over a year. If the Broncos’ vision for Jeudy isn’t crystal clear, a trade could provide Denver with additional draft capital.
“I don’t (care) about none of that,” Jeudy said last month when asked about potential trade and extension talks.
If the Broncos indeed make wholesale changes and part ways with either Patrick, Jeudy, or both, the team could benefit from keeping Sutton — a veteran leader who’s an established red zone threat.
At the same time, Marvin Mims Jr. is primed to take on a larger role. The former Oklahoma star already proved he can be one of the top returners in the league as a Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro selection in his rookie season. Paton called Mims (377 receiving yards) a “work-in-progress” as a receiver, but he has the ability to solve Denver’s lack of explosive plays on offense.
No matter what direction the Broncos go with their receivers, this much is certain: With cap space at a premium and the franchise now four years removed from its last 1,000-yard receiver (Sutton), change is imminent.
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