Courtland Sutton is lonelier than one sock.
One of the most expensive receiver rooms you could buy has gone buh-bye. The Broncos traded Jerry Jeudy and cut Tim Patrick and K.J. Hamler over the past two training camps. Adiós, Cuatro Amigos.
Sutton remains. He’s like laundry. He’s always there.
It is time to prove why. He has every incentive. As does the team.
The Broncos are breaking in rookie quarterback Bo Nix. He has done everything asked over the last month, earning the job with his athleticism, accuracy, leadership and ability to diagnose defenses. But it is difficult to be on time and on target without a favorite.
That is why it came as no surprise that the Broncos rejected the San Francisco 49ers’ recent trade proposal, per The Athletic, of a third-round pick for Sutton in a three-way deal that would have shipped Brandon Aiyuk to the Steelers. In a silo, that is fair compensation for Sutton. The Broncos nearly moved him to Baltimore before the 2023 season for a fifth-rounder.
A year later, the Broncos need Sutton as much as he needs them. Nix has to have someone he trusts — and Denver has zero established weaponsbeyond the veteran wideout.
Josh Reynolds has been a No. 3 throughout his career. He is, by definition, a solid complementary piece, not a receiver you want matched up with the opponent’s top cornerback. Marvin Mims Jr. boasts potential, but was a ghost during training camp and, save for a 1-yard touchdown at Indianapolis, in the preseason. Devaughn Vele is a younger version of Patrick but will be making his pro debut at Seattle. And fourth-round pick Troy Franklin will likely be inactive for long stretches as he continues to develop.
Could one or two of those aforementioned players blossom into something unexpected? Yes. But that’s no guarantee.
That leaves tight end Greg Dulcich & Gabbana, who would be making a heck of a fashion statement if he simply stays healthy and in uniform for 10 games.
It comes back to Sutton. He is the one certainty. He is the player — excluding the running game — who can make Nix click.
Sutton’s motivation is twofold. He wants to be an all-time Bronco, spending his entire career in Denver. But more saliently, his contract compromise this summer demands production. He wanted a new deal — he has $2 million in guaranteed money this season and zero in 2025 — and the Broncos refused to flinch. Instead, they gave him a ladder to reach the briefcase with a $1.5 million incentive package.
Sutton, who has a $13 million salary this season, can earn $500,000 each for 500, 750 and 1,065 receiving yards with escalators involving improvement in team points and yards per attempt. All Sutton has to do is post his best season since 2019, when he was the last Broncos player to eclipse 1,000 yards. If he doesn’t trigger the first two, this season will be a disaster.
The Broncos are hungry. But are they ready? Sutton better be. At age 28, this is his time to prove he remains in his prime.
Nix microwaved his chemistry with Sutton on rollouts and bootlegs. He is a big body who finds soft spots in zone coverage, especially when lined up in the slot. His instincts improved dramatically in the red zone — he had two touchdowns in his previous 26 games before delivering 10 in 2023. Russell Wilson and Jarrett Stidham posted a 120.2 quarterback rating when throwing to him with 59 completions for 772 yards.
Get the point? Nix’s performance, on many Sundays, will hinge on Sutton. Denver, lest Broncos Country be reminded, doesn’t have a Travis Hunter (not yet anyway). Sutton is the key variable.
Trusting the math from the past two seasons, Sutton needs a career-high 81 catches to reach 1,000 yards. Throw in six to eight touchdowns, and Nix will not only be successful but find himself in the running for offensive rookie of the year.
Think of Bo as Linus and Sutton as his blanket.
The Broncos are no longer allocating big money to their receivers. They are down to Uno Amigo. They have invested in the offensive line. The grunts up front are important. But let’s be clear, it is Sutton who will make or break Nix’s season.
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.
