Courtland Sutton Watch has begun.
The Broncos veteran wide receiver did not report to the first day of the team’s voluntary workouts, a source confirmed Tuesday to The Denver Post. NFL Network reported the absence is due to Sutton wanting a new contract.
Sutton has two years remaining on his current deal but only $2 million of the more than $26 million left is guaranteed. He has cap numbers of $17.396 million this year and $17.825 million in 2025 but Denver has little financial tie remaining to him.
The opening phases of NFL offseason programs are entirely voluntary. In fact, Denver’s only three mandatory days between now and training camp are a minicamp that falls June 11-13. Sutton’s attended the early phases of the offseason program in the past, but it will be many weeks before he’s actually faced with a decision on skipping or attending something mandatory.
The Broncos have had strong attendance in the early phases of recent offseason programs, though players sometimes come and go over the course of several weeks from April-June.
Sutton caught 10 touchdown passes in 2023 on 59 total receptions and 772 yards. He’s ranged between 772 and 829 yards each of the past three seasons since missing almost the entire 2020 season with a knee injury. Sutton signed a four-year extension worth up to $60 million in November 2021, but now nearly all of the guarantees from that deal have been accounted for.
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A second-round draft pick in 2018, Sutton had 1,1112 yards and six touchdowns as a second-year player in 2019, his best year as a professional.
He’s watched this offseason as one of his close friends, quarterback Russell Wilson, was released and his partner atop the receiving room the past four years, Jerry Jeudy, was traded to Cleveland for a pair of Day 3 draft picks.
Several of Denver’s highest-paid players have either been released, traded or had their contracts adjusted in various manners. Sutton, meanwhile, has not. He appeared to acknowledge some level of uncertainty in January when he wrote on social media, “I know all things happen for a reason and I trust my God’s plans over everything, including what’s next for me. Just know I gave everything to this team and organization every time I stepped on the field!”
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