With the lack of draft picks, the Denver Broncos are in need of adding more and the best way to get the most value is by trading one of their top wide receivers.
On March 30, ESPN insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler are reporting that there’s still a chance that either Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton can get traded before the NFL Draft.
“The Broncos aren’t hanging up the phone when teams call them about receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. Denver needs picks and knows it could get something of value in return for one of those guys. But at this point, with a month left before the draft, the Broncos are still asking a lot in return. We will see if things change as the draft gets closer, but for now Jeudy and Sutton remain Broncos and nothing seems like it’s close to happening to change that,” said Graziano.
Fowler added, “I’m with Dan on the Denver receivers — no real traction to a deal right now, and Denver’s offense has been too bad to unload talent without viable capital, but the weeks before the draft could intensify talks. The Broncos haven’t exactly squashed that they are listening to offers.”
Ravens Have Called on Sutton
As the Baltimore Ravens continue be in the wide receiver market, Folwer is reporting that they have called the Broncos about Sutton.
“I’ve heard the same for DeAndre Hopkins and Courtland Sutton. They seem open to potentially adding a quality outside receiver.”
Baltimore’s leading wide receiver last season was Demarcus Robinson with just 458 yards and just two touchdowns. Robinson is currently a free agent and the last time the Ravens had a 1,000-yard wide receiver was in 2021 with Marquise Brown, but he was later traded to the Arizona Cardinals.
Payton Shot Down the Rumors
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero caught up with Broncos head coach Sean Payton and got an answer that everyone has been wanting.
“I see and read just like everyone else does,” Payton said. “Then occasionally, when someone really crowds the plate, I throw a fastball right at their chin, and they back up, and they’re like, ‘Alright.’ And so I haven’t thrown any fastballs lately, but we’re not trading those two players.
Payton also mentioned that Denver has received calls about their top two wide receivers from last season.
“When people call and the phone rings like it does this time of year, (general manager) George Paton’s job is to pick it up and say, ‘Hey. Tell you what, we’re not.’ And so, we’ve received calls, you bet. Those are two good football players. But we’re in the business of gathering talent right now. Why do people call? Because they know we’re void of draft picks and that we might, because there was some discussions a year ago, I think, regarding Courtland. But we like the current group that we’re working with.”
Both playmakers haven’t lived up to the level that most have hoped for since they were both drafted within the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.
Jeudy, a 2022 first-round pick, has yet to reach the 1,000-yard mark during his first three seasons and has struggled finding the endzone.
Last season, Jeudy scored six touchdowns, but didn’t score once in 10 games in 2021 and only scored three times as a rookie.
Jeudy finally found himself playing well towards the second-half of last season where he averaged 75.8 yards per game over the final nine games of the season and scored four of his six touchdowns.
Closing out the season with momentum, Jeudy’s final game he had a career high 154 yards leading the way for Denver’s best offensive game of the season.
Sutton has struggled as well since receiving his four-year contract extension back in 2021.
Since signing his new deal, Sutton has played in 22 games and only has 79 receptions for 988 yards and just two touchdowns.
Averaging just 55.3 yards per game last season, Sutton also had a career high nine dropped passes.
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Insiders: Broncos ‘Aren’t Hanging up the Phone’ on WR Trade Rumors