Wide receiver news has commanded the headlines this offseason, with lucrative extensions, high-profile holdouts and hold-ins in abundance.
Courtland Sutton doesn’t fit in any of those categories, as the Denver Broncos wideout was on time for mandatory minicamp, settled for an affordable one-year restructure and is front and center at training camp.
Why? Well, the 28-year-old is a firm believer in what’s building in Denver.
“I believe in this system,” Sutton told NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero and NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund on Tuesday’s Inside Training Camp Live. “I believe in this organization. Being here going into my seventh year, I believe in what the Broncos organization has stood for for years, and I know that we have what we need to be able to get this organization back into the rankings that it needs to be in. I believe in the offense coach [Sean] Payton and the guys put together.”
Sutton has some statistical reason behind his belief, as his first season playing for Payton saw him produce a career-high 10 touchdowns to go with 772 yards and 59 receptions. Heading into the final year of his contract, Sutton was aiming for an extension but settled on a restructured contract worth up to $15.2 million this season.
He came to that agreement after mandatory minicamp.
It’s clear he’s a firm believer in himself as well as the team and is of the mind that his future fortune will be had after what he expects to be a successful 2024 -- regardless of what others predict.
“Like I said, we had success last year,” he said. “We may have come up short a few times, but we’ve had success. And I think there’s a lot more promise that’s there that a lot of people may not believe in, and that’s completely fine with us because we like to play with that chip on our shoulders.”
Though Sutton’s optimism is Mile High, the offense as a whole is rife with question marks.
Sutton will lead a WR corps welcoming back the injury-plagued Tim Patrick, welcoming former Detroit Lions contributor Josh Reynolds and aiming for more opportunities from second-year playmaker Marvin Mims. Just who they’ll be catching passes from remains to be seen with rookie first-rounder Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson all vying for QB1.
“I think that guys are really ready to go prove themselves and I just love this team, I love this organization,” Sutton said.
Sutton clearly believes the Broncos’ future is bright, but beyond this season, his future with the franchise is unclear. He’s plenty confident it will all work out, though, an approach evident in his attendance all offseason.
“I believe in what we have going on here,” he said. “Everything will take care of itself. I’m a firm believer that God has everything in his hands and under control. I told my team that the whole time throughout the whole process this offseason. That’s why I showed up on time, because I know this this is going to be a year to come and guys are gonna have to put some respect on it.”