The Denver Broncos are undergoing some notable changes on offense this offseason after another disappointing 2023 campaign, with quarterback Russell Wilson having gotten cut and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy getting traded to the Cleveland Browns. One guy that is sticking around is Courtland Sutton, but even then, the Broncos may have a problem brewing with him that will need to be resolved.
Even with the Broncos offensive struggles, Sutton put together a strong body of work in 2023 (59 REC, 772 REC, 10 TD) while adding several impressive catches to his highlight reel. While his numbers aren't as big as some of the other top wide receivers in the league, Sutton is clearly a star, and he unsurprisingly wants a bigger contract, which has resulted in him skipping the team's voluntary workouts.
#Broncos WR Courtland Sutton did not report Monday for voluntary workouts as he seeks a new contract, per source.
Sutton is going on his 10th starting QB in seven seasons and has only $2 million guaranteed left on his deal. He had 10 TDs in 2023 while ranking 56th in targets. pic.twitter.com/93rA35XdM4
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 16, 2024
Courtland Sutton becomes latest wide receiver to skip voluntary workouts
The wide receiver market across the league is set to explode, and Sutton wants to be a part of the crop of players who get paid. With a new quarterback and offensive system being put into place, Sutton is going to be crucial to the team's success in 2024 and beyond, so the Broncos will have an incentive to get him a new deal and resolve this situation.
While these workouts are only voluntary, it is noteworthy that Sutton seems to be indicating a holdout could be on the way if he doesn't get his deal. This could convince Denver to head back to the negotiating table, but this is the first step players take in their holdout process, and Sutton is showing that he means business by not showing up for these workouts.
Around the league, Sutton isn't the only guy who is pulling this move. Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings and CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys both aren't attending these workouts either as they look for a new deal, so it will be interesting to see which team blinks first and extends their star pass catcher first. For what it's worth, Sutton's new extension will surely come in at a lower price than these guys, but he's still going to command quite a hefty fee.
Given his importance to Denver's offense, it's clear that the team has good reason to try to avoid a holdout. However, doing so will be easier said than done, as the Broncos don't necessarily want to overpay for Sutton. Finding common ground is the key, and to this point, that hasn't happened, so maybe the threat of a holdout will change things.
For now, it's important to not look into this too much, as the Broncos need to focus on nailing their pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which involves finding the next guy that will be throwing passes to Sutton. This is obviously a developing situation that bears watching, but for the time being, it's best to not get too concerned about a potential holdout from the star wide receiver, as there's still a lot of time for a deal to come to fruition.
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