Since the Denver Broncos only have five draft picks in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, there’s a chance that Denver can add some more.
According to Matthew Berry of NBC Sports Edge, the Broncos have been “quietly shopping” wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
Berry adds that Denver is “Not actively pushing him, but definitely trying to see if there’s a trade market for him and if they get a decent offer, would move him.”
Sutton suffered a hamstring injury last season in Denver’s Week 13 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. The injury forced Sutton to leave the game early as the Broncos lost 10-9.
Only missing two games, Sutton finished the 2022 season with 829 yards on 64 receptions and only found the endzone twice.
Courtland Sutton Has Struggled Since Signing Extension
On November 22, 2021, Sutton and the Broncos agreed on a four-year contract extension worth $60.8 million with $34.9 million guaranteed.
Before that extension, Sutton played well as one of the better wide receivers in the game. In the 43 games before signing his monster deal, Sutton caught 160 passes for 2,499 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Since signing his new deal, Sutton has played in 22 games and only has 79 receptions for 988 yards and just two touchdowns.
Dealing with multiple quarterbacks over his career, the expectation was that Sutton would break out in the 2022 season and have his second 1,000-yard season with Wilson slinging the rock.
Averaging just 55.3 yards per game last season, Sutton also had a career high nine dropped passes.
What Could Denver Get For Sutton?
With the Broncos not having a single draft pick within the first two rounds of the NFL Draft, they would obviously like to have one, but it’s unlikely that the former Pro Bowl wide receiver would bring back that kind of value.
“I think you could get a third of fourth-rounder for him,” said former Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe on his local radio show.
During the 2022 offseason, there were some notable wide receiver trades and teams gave up real value for the pass catchers.
The Green Bay Packers traded their star wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders for a first and second-pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Tyreek Hill was traded from Kansas City to Miami for five draft picks: a 2022 first-round pick, second-round pick, and fourth-round pick, plus fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2023 draft.
The Philadelphia Eagles also gave up a first and third-round pick for Tennessee Titans receiver A.J. Brown.
Obviously those receivers were coming off elite seasons before getting traded, but the Broncos could end up getting some draft picks back like the New York Giants got for Kadarius Toney.
Last year New York traded Toney to Kansas City for a third and sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft.
Denver can even try and package one of their own picks and Sutton to move up in the draft for better value like the Ravens did with Marquise Brown last year.
Baltimore sent Brown and third-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for a 2022 first-round pick.
Since Sutton will be turning 28 in October and only having one 1,000-yard season back in 2019, the Broncos are probably looking in the price range of a third or fourth-round pick.
Sutton will have at least a $17 million cap hit in each of the next three seasons unless he restructures or gets a new deal.
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Broncos Are ‘Quietly Shopping’ Their Pro Bowl WR: Report