Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton acknowledged teams have called to inquire about Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton this offseason, but he reiterated Monday the team isn’t “interested” in dealing either of its two leading receivers.
“I think it’s pretty common every offseason,” Payton said Monday of rumors the Broncos might part with one or both. “(There is a) new coach (and it’s) not a real deep receiver draft.
“I would say a number of teams have called on those players. It’s not something that we’re interested in doing.”
Asked Sunday about it, Payton said “we’re not trading those two players.”
Jeudy led the Broncos with 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns last season. Sutton was second with 64 catches for 829 yards, but only reached the end zone twice.
While Payton evaluates the entire roster of a team that stumbled to a 5-12 finish last season, receiver is a position of strength.
In addition to Jeudy and Sutton, Tim Patrick is returning from a torn ACL and KJ Hamler might be ready for training camp following surgery for a torn pec. The Broncos added veteran Marquez Callaway to a depth chart that also includes holdovers Kendall Hinton (33 catches in 2022), Brandon Johnson (six), Jalen Virgil (five) and Montrell Washington (four).
While Payton has denied an interest in parting with one of his top two wideouts, it may ultimately be a strong consideration as he attempts to rebuild the running game. He has very little draft capital to work with due to last season’s blockbuster deal for quarterback Russell Wilson along with another first-rounder Denver parted with to get Payton from the New Orleans Saints.
“(The rumors will) continue, I’m sure, as we get closer to the draft,” Payton said. “If you really look at the draft and you really look at the receiver depth in the draft, it’s not a real deep draft.
“If you’re a team that’s looking for receivers – we’re not the only team people called. I’m sure Houston with Brandin Cooks and other players like that. It’s pretty common in the offseason, I think.”
Speaking of Wilson, Payton declined to say much about last week’s report that the quarterback underwent arthroscopic knee surgery after the 2022 season. Wilson resumed workouts and throwing and is expected to be ready for OTAs.
“Injury wise, I’ll keep you posted,” Payton said. “That’s something we’re not going to talk a lot about – probably ever.”
–Field Level Media
