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There might not be a quarterback-wide receiver duo on more of a heater right now than Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix and veteran wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
The latest evidence of their growing connection came in Week 12, in the Broncos’ 29-19 road win over the Las Vegas Raiders in which Nix went 25-of-42 passing for 273 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Sutton was on the receiving end of both scores, finishing with 8 receptions for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns. Sutton has averaged 93.4 receiving yards per game over the last 5 games and leads the Broncos with 57 receptions for 744 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Denver is now 7-5 and in the seventh and final AFC playoff spot with 5 games remaining in the regular season. The combination of Nix and Sutton earned some praise from Bill Simmons on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on November 24.
“First of all, Nix has gotten … he’s just night and day from that Jets game where he threw for 60 yards,” Simmons said. “It’s like a different human being. But it’s kind of a badass … they made a replay today and he’s just screaming at the defense of the other team. Now, granted, he’s like a 30-year-old rookie. He’s like Scott Bakula in ‘Necessary Roughness’ … but the way he carries himself, he doesn’t carry himself like a rookie. “He’s gotten better week to week. I think he has real chemistry with Courtland Sutton … I could see them in the playoffs … I think they’re pretty frisky.”
Broncos Trying to End Lengthy Playoff Drought
The Broncos and second-year head coach Sean Payton are trying to end a playoff drought that stretches back to 2015, when they won the Super Bowl in quarterback Peyton Manning’s final season. Denver hasn’t even had a winning record since going 9-7 in 2016.
Nix was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft after setting an FBS record with 61 college starts at Auburn and Oregon. He was the sixth and final quarterback taken in the first round of a draft in which an NFL record 14 offensive players were taken to open the first round.
Nix’s play as of late has put him in the running for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, where odds on him dropped to +125 on ESPN Bet on November 25, essentially making it a 2-man race between Nix and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has seen a drop off in his play as of late.
Sutton Taking Place Among NFL’s Elite Wideouts
Sutton is trying to become the first player to have 1,000 receiving yards for the Broncos since he had 72 reception for 1,112 receiving yards and made his only Pro Bowl in 2019.
He’s on pace to hit the 1,000-yard mark in a season which followed a contentious offseason for the seventh year wide receiver after he talked his way into an $11.7 million raise on the 4-year, $60.8 million contract extension he signed in November 2021.
Sutton is due another $13.5 million in salary in 2025. It’s not outside the realm of thinking that the Broncos might try to sign him to another long term deal following the 2024 season to avoid him going into free agency.
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