Denver Broncos should take the plunge and trade WR Courtland Sutton
Denver should not beat around the bush with Courtland Sutton; it's time to trade the former Pro Bowl wideout.
On Friday, Sutton tweeted, "I just want to be where I'm wanted and appreciated," seemingly in response to a bevy of recent trade rumors. ESPN's Dianna Russini earlier this month reported that the Broncos have received calls on Sutton and WR Jerry Jeudy but are "not shopping" either player.
In a fluid NFL, that "not shopping" tag could drop quickly, especially at the start of the new league year. If Denver receives a respectable offer for Sutton, the organization would be wise to take it given their current lack of resources.
The Broncos must replenish their roster after a debacle of a 2022-23 campaign in which they lost 10 or more games for the fifth time in six years while missing the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. Adding fresh talent without a first- or second-pound pick complicates matters. And that's where Denver is at right now.
Over the past two seasons, the Broncos have dealt a combined seven picks to acquire QB Russell Wilson and HC Sean Payton, including two first-rounders (2022 and 2023) for Wilson. As a result, the team has no selection until the third round of April's upcoming draft.
Sutton is one of Denver's few attractive trade options. In five seasons, the 27-year-old wide receiver has caught 50 receptions or more three times. At 6-foot-4, he would serve as a solid deep-ball threat for a team that wants to improve its vertical passing game.
The Broncos have enough cap space ($32.5M, per OverTheCap) to sign a receiver that can match or surpass Sutton's production, with former Pro Bowlers Adam Thielen and JuJu Smith-Schuster both options in free agency. Denver could also theoretically target a Sutton replacement in the draft itself, should they opt to trade him in the coming weeks.
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