Courtland Sutton of the Denver Broncos was clad in cleats and helmet inside the Denver Broncos’ facility Tuesday, signaling the end of his holdout.
The veteran wide receiver went in-depth into why he chose to end his absences from minicamp.
Courtland Sutton Committed to Broncos
Sutton entered the 2024 offseason seeking to join the evolving rich WR market or find a way into a new NFL home.
The 28-year-old receiver was considered a trade candidate once the offseason began. Denver already cleared significant room by releasing its starting quarterback for the last two seasons in Russell Wilson. And with Sean Payton in control of the franchise as head coach, many believed that even a longtime Bronco like Sutton wasn’t guaranteed to stick around the Rocky Mountains as a youth movement commenced.
Sutton, though, declared his reasonings behind why he chose to rejoin his teammates and coaches.
“This is where I want to be,” Sutton said Tuesday to reporters. “This is home. This is where I want to go hoist the Lombardi Trophy. This is the place where I want to be able to retire. This is the place where I want to hopefully be able to put enough out once my career is done that I can hopefully be able to have a bid at the Broncos Ring of [Fame]. Those are all things that have to be earned, and hopefully I’m able to have the time to be able to continue to showcase that I’m capable of being in that caliber of people.”
Sutton revealed he spent time in Florida while away from the Broncos. But he immediately realized how much he missed the cohesion inside Denver’s locker room.
“I love ball,” Sutton said. “I love this game. I love the camaraderie that it brings with teammates. I love seeing the pure joy on people’s faces when they play it and when they watch it. … It was definitely a tough couple months of not being able to be around with the guys and just be around ball.”
For Broncos fans, Sutton’s words are a welcome sigh of relief that he wants to keep the orange and blue. But does his head coach feel the same way?
Sean Payton Says Sutton is Important to Broncos
Payton himself knows how valuable Sutton is inside the Broncos’ huddle.
While Sutton hasn’t matched or bettered his 2019 totals, including enduring a personal four-season streak of missing out on 70 receptions and 1,000 yards, the Super Bowl-winning head coach with the New Orleans Saints embraces Sutton’s presence.
“It’s great having him out here,” Payton said Tuesday. “He’s in good shape. But you don’t want to just throw him in there, so we’ll be smart about that.”
MORE: Who Are the NFL’s Highest-Paid WRs in 2024?
Payton shared Wednesday after minicamp that he and Sutton spoke.
“Courtland and I met this morning for quite a while. We have a good relationship and he’s important to what we’re doing,” Payton said, also crediting Sutton for visiting with the media amid his contract talks. “I would say he’s important, and I think he knows that.”
Courtland Sutton and Sean Payton met for “quite a while” this morning. Sean added Sutton is important to the team and Sutton knows that. pic.twitter.com/0lwn7ymZ7w
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) June 12, 2024
Sutton caught 59 passes for 772 yards in his first season in Payton’s offensive scheme. However, he delivered a career-high 10 touchdowns running the route tree Payton implemented for Sutton and the Denver wideouts.
Sutton’s Contract Details
Sutton is on a deal with no guaranteed money, hence his name being mentioned as a playmaker awaiting a new contract.
He’s still earning cash from his four-year, $60.8 million contract, which expires in 2026. His base salary, though, is anticipated to jump past $13 million for this season and next. Sutton also carries a cap hit of $17 million with his current deal.
The towering 6’4″ wide receiver has sat back and watched the market for wideouts explode over the last three years, including in 2024. He’s witnessed Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle, the Philadelphia Eagles duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and, most recently, Justin Jefferson all score blockbuster new deals this offseason.
Even past 1,000-yard WR Darnell Mooney and Gabe Davis, each considered No. 2 wideouts at best, earned rich offseason deals through this new market.
Meanwhile, Sutton is joined by CeeDee Lamb, Brandon Aiyuk, Amari Cooper, and Tee Higgins as notable WRs looking for new contracts.
MORE: Amari Cooper Misses Minicamp, Becomes Latest WR Wanting a Payday
Sutton hasn’t surpassed 830 receiving yards since his productive ’19 campaign. He didn’t deliver a single 100-yard outing last season. But still, Sutton crossing the end zone 10 times helps give him leverage in wanting to have his name added to the evolving WR market. He’s already fired off the first signal to the Broncos about wanting to get a deal done by ending his no-shows and labeling Denver as home.
