Buzz building around Denver Broncos trading a receiver?
There may be buzz building in Denver regarding the Broncos potentially trading one of their receivers this offseason. I do think the WR room gets a bit of change this offseason, and not because there's a lack of talent, but the group has never really been able to get and stay on the field consistently.
KJ Hamler likely won't have much of a role at all with the team in 2022 if he isn't traded or cut. Tim Patrick is coming off of a torn ACL and turns 30 in 2023, and Courtland Sutton doesn't seem to be the same player ever since returning from his torn ACL.
That would leave Jerry Jeudy who has also had a few injuries but did put something notable together towards the end of the 2022 season. The chemistry he developed with Russell Wilson was obvious.
Anyway, Nick Kendall tweeted something interesting regarding Courtland Sutton:
According to @bylindsayhjones on an appearance with @TheAthletic Podcast
— Nick Kendell 🏔 (@NickKendellMHH) February 20, 2023
Discussing #Broncos WR Courtland Sutton: “there’s been some buzz around in Denver could Sutton get traded… his name has been buzzing around a little bit as a guy who could maybe get moved.” pic.twitter.com/BdtHss5Z4b
This may not come as much of a surprise to some, but it's still significant news. At this point it's rather safe to say that Jerry Jeudy is the WR1 in Denver. He's the most complete receiver and has the most lethal skillset as a route runner with underrated speed.
The Broncos do need to create some cap space, having around $10 million, and they could use anotehr draft pick or two. Tim Patrick's injury does complicate things a bit, but it's a move that I could see. Sutton seems to have lost a step and his cap number does balloon to over $18 million this year.
The free agent receiver market also is not strong, but there are some players who could step into a respectable WR2 role behind Jerry Jeudy if the team were to trade Sutton.
A player like DJ Chark is just as talented as Sutton, has a 1,000 yard season to his name, is 6'4", has 4.3 speed and is a freakish athlete. He'd also likely come much cheaper than what Sutton's contract currently states.
Furthermore, the team did see some strong performances from Greg Dulcich in 2022, and Dulcich is in some way a bit of a TE/WR hybrid.
There's also nothing stopping the Denver Broncos for taking a pass catcher in the 2023 NFL Draft. Trading Sutton does not mean that the hole he'd create has to stay unfilled.