Getty Tutu Atwell #5 of the Los Angeles Rams.
The Denver Broncos have a couple of significant veteran contracts to address still.
Left tackle Garett Bolles and wide receiver Courtland Sutton account for the top two cap hits on the roster with defensive lineman D.J. Jones right behind them. The Broncos need Bolles with no apparent suitable replacement. Jones likewise has few true challengers for his role.
Sutton, though, is a member of a deeper wide receiver room this season, and Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggests a trade that could help soften the blow of a trade for the Broncos.
“Denver isn’t looking to trade Sutton,” Knox wrote on June 27, “but that could change if the right offer comes along. In this hypothetical scenario, the Broncos flip Sutton—who hasn’t had a 1,000-yard campaign since 2019—for a pair of third-round picks and 24-year-old receiver Tutu Atwell.”
Here is how Knox’s hypothetical trade scenario would break down:
Broncos get:
– Tutu Atwell
– 2025 third-round pick (via LAR)
– 2026 third-round pick (via PIT)
Steelers get:
– Courtland Sutton
– 2026 fourth-round pick (via LAR)
Rams get:
Atwell, 23, was the No. 57 overall pick of the 2021 draft. On the smaller side at 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds, he proved he could be more than just a threat in the return game. He logged 39 receptions for 483 yards and a career-high three touchdowns last season.
Atwell is entering the final year of a four-year, $5.9 million contract.
Broncos Get Younger, Add Draft Capital in 3-Team Proposed Trade
GettyCourtland Sutton #14 of the Denver Broncos.
After seeing just 2% of the offense’s snaps as a rookie during the Rams’ Super Bowl run, he jumped to 40% in 2022 and 64% this past season, per Pro Football Reference.
Furthermore, the Broncos would be adding picks in this scenario rather than sending some out.
Sutton finished last season with 772 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. He has dealt with some minor injury issues after suffering a torn ACL in 2020. He also has just one 1,000-yard season under his belt.
Knox points to Sutton’s age – he turns 29 years old in October – and comments about former Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson as reasons for Denver to move on. Sutton is also entering the final year of a four-year, $60.8 million contract with no signs of an extension looming.
He has also left the door open for a holdout during training camp.
Sutton carries a $17.4 million cap hit in 2024, though only $2 million is guaranteed. He has also seen several of his peers receive new money this offseason.
Courtland Sutton Buying Into Bo Nix, Broncos’ Team Vision
GettyBo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos.
Perhaps most importantly, Sutton has reacted negatively to trade rumors, saying repeatedly that he wants to stay with the Broncos and help break the franchise’s playoff drought. It will be nine seasons if they miss in 2024. He is even bought into rookie first-round quarterback Bo Nix.
“I hope that I am a part of this, the bigger picture,” Sutton told reporters on June 11. “I’ve been told that that’s what the game plan is. I’ve also been told some other things, so we’ll see what happens. I hope that I’m able to you know be a part of the the game plan. I also don’t see that it’s going to be a soft reset. I’m praying and also working towards and continuing to hopefully stay in God’s ears that this isn’t going to be a three-year process. We want to win right now.
“I think with Bo being a young guy, the guy they took really high, obviously, I understand the politics of the game. I know that everyone’s rooting for him to be the guy. I think that he does a lot of things really well, and I think that he has the ability to be able to go out and have success. I don’t see this being a thee, four-year process.
“If it becomes a three, four-year dynasty, then I would hope that I’m able to be a part of it.”