Getty Courtland Sutton #14 of the Denver Broncos.
Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton will be in attendance for the start of mandatory minicamp after skipping the voluntary portion of the offseason program.
What level of participation he plans on having remains to be seen.
However, the 2019 Pro Bowler allayed any outside concerns that his holdout over his current contract would keep him away. He also said he looks forward to working with rookie first-round quarterback Bo Nix.
“Whenever the conversation started coming about and we made the pick, I was excited to see that we were going to be able to work with him,” Sutton said on the “DNVR Broncos Podcast” on June 6. “He does a lot of things really, really well on the field. And I’m looking forward to being able to get out and work with him just because he has that leader mentality, that aura that he carries, that he walks with.
“Just based off the things that I’ve seen when he was at Oregon, being able to watch him go out there and carry and lead his team, and seeing how those guys were following him, I think it showed a lot about the type of person he is and the way he carries himself.”
Bo Nix COMPLETE to Josh Reynolds.
Sutton praised Nix’s ability to lead and said the way his teammates followed him spoke to the rookie’s character.
It could also bode well for the Broncos, whose 2023 record was their best mark since 2016.
“I think that that’s the thing that’s going to be really huge for us,” Sutton said. “To have him come in and to command the team, and to own the team, and build that confidence up for the team to know that he’s going to be that leader and be that guy that’s going to take us to where we want to get to, ultimately getting into the postseason and going to win another Super Bowl for this for this organization.”
Sutton said he has been in contact with his new teammate even though he has not been around the team.
Courtland Sutton Has Been in Contact With Bo Nix Amid Contract Standoff With Broncos
GettyCourtland Sutton #14 of the Denver Broncos.
“I actually been able to talk to Bo a few times,” Sutton said. “Reached out to him after he got drafted, was able to talk to him a little bit, kind of give him some insight on what to expect going into his year. Obviously, I don’t play quarterback, so I know that position is completely different. But just kind of the expectations going into your rookie year. What you should expect going into the locker room, practice, games. How to kind of take care of himself.
“I think Bo brings a lot of really good qualities to our team in terms of the quarterback position. The guy has had a lot of success in the college level. Actually was able to watch him a few games this past year. [I] go out there and [he’s] slinging the ball around and you know didn’t know if we were going to have a chance to be able to get him.”
Sutton said the Broncos were close in 2023 but “not enough” since they missed the playoffs. They finished last season 8-9. They missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season since winning the Super Bowl in 2015.
The Broncos have cycled through 12 starting quarterbacks since then and have one winning season since.
That was in 2016.
Sutton finished last season with 772 yards on 59 receptions while also hauling in a career-high 10 touchdowns. But team success eluded him yet again. He is optimistic that Nix can lead this group back to prominence.
“I think that the things that Bo does very well and things that I do very well can allow us to be able to have success in the long run,” Sutton said.
Denver Broncos Need Bo Nix to Stop Turnstile at QB
GettyQuarterback Bo NIx #10 of the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos’ decision to select Nix with the No. 12 overall pick drew mixed reviews. There were questions about his ceiling relative to that draft slot. At 24 years old, Nix is the oldest of the top six quarterbacks taken in the 2024 draft.
But he will not be on the field alone and Sutton touted their collective potential.
“I think that the things that Bo brings to the table, I think that the things that the guys are working on right now and that we that we as a team will be able to continue to work on going into minicamp, training camp, and ultimately into the season are going to put us where we want to be at,” Sutton said. “I think that that you know our offense is going to be a very exciting offense to watch.”
Nix set records for most starts by an FBS quarterback and completion percentage in NCAA history. Both factors could make him an ideal fit for Head Coach Sean Payton’s offense.
The early reviews have been positive, though the real test is still several months away.