The throw was beautiful, but the catch was just as glamorous.

During an intense round of 11-on-11 at Broncos training camp, quarterback Russell Wilson glanced down the sideline to see wide receiver Courtland Sutton attempting to create separation from cornerback Pat Surtain II on a go-route. When Sutton beat out his All-Pro teammate by an inch, Wilson threw a pretty spiral to the sixth-year veteran, who corralled the ball with two hands.

At that moment, the 2019 version of Sutton, who recorded 1,112 receiving yards and went to the Pro Bowl, had reemerged.

Sutton spent the offseason working on his body to return to the player he was four seasons ago. He also studied New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, because that’s the vision Broncos head coach Sean Payton has for him.

With Tim Patrick (torn left Achilles) out for the season once again, it’s now more important than ever that he fills that role.

“The ultimate goal is to be the best wide receiver that I can be,” Sutton said. “When I’m able to do that, the results take care of themselves.”

To be clear, Payton hasn’t said Sutton will produce at the same rate as Thomas, and why should he? When Payton was the head coach in New Orleans, Thomas was a three-time Pro Bowler and the 2019 Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year. But both players are big receivers: Sutton at 6-foot-4, 216 pounds, and Thomas at 6-foot-3, 212 pounds. And that’s a trait Payton values

In the spring, Sutton received Thomas’ game film from the 2019 season when the Saints wideout totaled 1,725 receiving yards and set an NFL record with 149 receptions. He studied every target, analyzing Thomas’ route-running and how he got open. Just like Thomas, Payton expects Sutton to be the “X” wide receiver in the offensive scheme he brought with him from New Orleans.

“(Sutton is) looking at the tape because he can see the schemes that we’re installing,” Payton said. “We have cutups of hundreds of plays for the players to see examples. It doesn’t have to be our team. It could be any team in the league. If you see something you like, you cut it up, and there’s a picture that says a thousand words for the player.”

Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, who also coached Thomas in New Orleans, said Sutton’s physical attributes match up well with the Saints wideout, even if both receivers have different skill sets. Thomas’ 77.5% career catch rate — Sutton’s is 56.8% — speaks to those differences.

Sutton is more of a vertical threat than Thomas, averaging 14.6 yards per reception in his career. But both excel at making contested catches and being effective weapons in the middle of the field. For Sutton and Thomas, slant routes are easy money.

“It’s a good trait,” Payton said. “I like his size. We kind of favor bigger receivers, so he fits that prototype, or that type that we like.”

Sutton’s name circulated heavily in offseason trade rumors, but Denver opted to stand pat.

The idea of slotting him at the “X” wideout spot alongside Jerry Jeudy and a healthy Patrick provided optimism the Broncos had enough weapons to get Wilson and the offense back on track after an abysmal 2022 season.

But a monkey wrench was thrown into the team’s plans less than two weeks into training camp. Patrick tore his left Achilles in team drills, while speedster KJ Hamler was waived with a non-football illness designation due to pericarditis, a mild heart irritation.

Plenty of talent remains in the wide receivers room behind Sutton and Jeudy, but it’s largely unproven. Rookie Marvin Mims Jr., the Broncos’ second-round draft selection, was a speedy deep threat at Oklahoma, averaging 20.1 yards per reception in 2022. Second-year receiver Brandon Johnson impressed coaches during OTAs, minicamp and parts of training camp before he missed time due to an ankle injury.

So the potential is there for the Broncos to overcome the loss of Patrick. It will come down to Jeudy building on his jump in production in the second half of last year and Sutton returning to the player he was in 2019. Since tearing his ACL in 2020, the veteran has been productive, but not at the level he and Payton know he can be.

“The past couple of years have been the same result, and there hasn’t been a drastic change in my play,” said Sutton, who recorded 776 receiving yards in 2021 and 829 in 2022. “Hopefully, we see something different.”

Sutton was one of the best players throughout training camp. He attributed that to his dedication in the weight room to get lean and add muscle.

Wilson said he and Sutton were able to develop an on-field connection last year, but they want to take it to another level. Wilson believes Payton’s coaching will help, as the veteran coach knows how to put players in the right situations to be the best version of themselves.

With Sutton’s newfound strength and Payton’s guidance, there is hope the wideout can regain the spark he had a few seasons ago.

“I give (Sutton) a hard time (because) that 2019 album he put out was pretty good,” Payton said. “We’re looking for another good soundtrack in 2023.”

Tale of the tape

A look at how Courtland Sutton compares physically to Saints receiver Michael Thomas, who shined in the same “X” role under Sean Payton in New Orleans that the Broncos receiver inherits this season.

“X” marks the spot

Michael Thomas was among the NFL’s most productive receivers while working out of the “X” receiver spot in Sean Payton’s Saints offense. Here’s a look at his numbers in the five seasons he played under Payton:

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