When the Denver Broncos take the field in Week 17, it'll be Jarrett Stidham under center instead of Russell Wilson. But as Stidham prepares for his first start with the Broncos, one of Denver's pass catchers won't be available to him.
Courtland Sutton has been ruled out with a concussion, via Adam Schefter of ESPN. Sutton suffered his concussion in the first quarter of Denver's Week 16 matchup against the New England Patriots.
Losing Sutton will be a big slow to the Broncos' passing attack, no matter who is playing quarterback. He leads the team in receptions (58), yards (770) and touchdowns (10). He is the only player on the team with 50+ receptions and 5+ touchdowns. Only Jerry Jeudy has 500+ receiving yards alongside Sutton.
While they're 7-8, the Broncos haven't officially been eliminated from postseason contention. Still, head coach Sean Payton decided to make a quarterback change from Wilson to Stidham. Despite his demotion, Wilson will still be active as Stidham's backup in Week 17, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Stidham has made two starts at the NFL level, losing both of them. He has made 14 appearances overall since joining the league in 2019, throwing for 926 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Denver's offense is sure to undergo plenty of changes by virtue of changing QBs. But without Courtland Sutton it could be difficult for Jarrett Stidham to find his groove. The Broncos are giving him an audition to see if he could be a potential quarterback option moving forward. His first test – playing without Sutton on the field – will already be a tough battle.
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