The Denver Broncos feel like a new era has begun for them after releasing veteran quarterback Russell Wilson this spring and drafting Bo Nix out of the University of Oregon with the No. 12 pick in April.
Head coach Sean Payton is likely hoping Nix will be able to at least emulate Drew Brees, the legendary quarterback he coached while with the New Orleans Saints. Nix certainly did well in 2023 with the Bucks when he threw for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns while setting an NCAA single-season record with a 77.4 percent completion rate.
But to succeed, Nix will need help from the skill positions, and in Denver, that will start with wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
Sutton sat out of the team’s voluntary workouts this offseason because he’s not happy with his contract. He showed up for minicamp, but he is still aiming for a new deal.
Payton made it clear that having Sutton in the fold is vital to what it is trying to accomplish this coming season.
“He’s important to what we’re doing,” Payton said. “He didn’t have to visit with the media. I told him, ‘It’s up to you if you want to do it.’ And so, to his credit, he did. I would say he’s important, and I think he knows that.”
While Sutton did attend mandatory minicamp, he hasn’t publicly committed to being at training camp next month.
As a result, there have been some whispers that he could end up getting traded. If that happens, the Broncos would be hard-pressed to replace his production.
The Broncos’ offense is in need of a major overhaul
The Broncos haven’t exactly been a productive offensive team the last two years, and in 2022, they were historically awful during Wilson’s maiden voyage with them.
This past season, Courtland Sutton caught 59 passes for 772 yards while scoring 10 receiving touchdowns, which was tied for fourth in the league.
Jerry Jeudy, Denver’s only other wideout who exceeded 500 yards last season, was traded to the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason. It brought in Josh Reynolds via free agency, but he isn’t an impact wideout, as he put up a relatively modest 608 yards and five touchdowns last season.
The Broncos and their fans have no choice but to be patient with this rebuilding process.
Many now agree Denver made a big mistake by trading lots of capital for Wilson, not to mention giving him a big contract extension shortly afterward, and it will take some time to merely clean up that mess it created.
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