Grading Broncos wide receivers in first preseason game vs. Colts

The Denver Broncos kicked off their 2024 season with a 34-30 victory against the Colts in the preseason opener at Indianapolis.

It was a fantastic game to watch, as many players shined for Denver in the first preseason game. Bo Nix was the headliner, completing 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.

The Broncos scored the most points in Week 1 of the preseason and had a lot of positives to talk about. One of them was the wide receivers who caught passes from Nix, Jarrett Stidham, and Zach Wilson. There were a few receivers that performed well and some that struggled just a bit. Despite the small amount of reps each wideout had against the Colts, here are my grades for the wide receivers in game one of the preseason.

Denver Broncos Wide Receiver Grades vs. Colts

Courtland Sutton – B+

The WR1 for the Broncos had a good showing in the first preseason game of 2024. Courtland Sutton was out there with both Stidham and Nix. Sutton caught the first pass of the game from Stidham on a 13-yard reception for a first down.

When Nix entered the game, Sutton caught a great 22-yard pass from the rookie on a third-and-long to move the chains. It was a great play from Nix, who got out of the pocket and threw a dart to the sideline, where Sutton kept his feet in bounds for the reception. The connection between the two carried on from training camp to Lucas Oil Stadium and looked good.

At the end of the game, Sutton recorded two receptions for 35 yards.

Tim Patrick – B

It was good to see Tim Patrick back playing football after dealing with unfortunate injuries for the last two years. For his first game back, he didn’t look bad at all. It appears that he is the team's WR2 as he took all the snaps with the starters in the first two drives, besides one when they were in 22 personnel.

Patrick recorded one reception for 14 yards. It was a great route as it was man coverage and created separation on a slant to beat his man. His release off the line of scrimmage looked impressive. The only negative aspect is that after the play, he was flagged for a taunting penalty. Besides that, he looked good running routes and blocking on run plays.

It was nice to see Patrick out there again. The Broncos need him to stay healthy to provide a reliable spark to the wide receiver room.