The Denver Broncos are probably one more good season from putting arguably the worst decade in franchise history behind them.
Until then, there’s still time to be accountable for the mistakes that led to 8 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance from 2016 to 2023.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder showed he’s very much interested in keeping the Broncos on blast for past mistakes. Holder did so by singling out 2020 first round pick (No. 15 overall) Jerry Jeudy as the NFL’s worst first round pick of the last 5 years.
For the Broncos, there have only been 3 first round picks in the last 5 years because of the disastrous Russell Wilson trade that sent their 2022 and 2023 first round picks to the Seattle Seahawks.
Jeudy was traded to the Cleveland Browns before the 2024 season.
“(Jeudy) didn’t live up to the hype with no 1,000-yard campaigns or Pro Bowl appearances for the Broncos, and the only other (first round pick) options for Denver are Patrick Surtain II and Bo Nix,” Holder wrote on June 26. “Also, his tenure with the club didn’t end particularly well, as he asked for a trade and the front office obliged by sending him to the Cleveland Browns for fifth- and sixth-round picks. Then, Jeudy had a career year in 2024 with 90 grabs and 1,229 yards to make his first Pro Bowl appearance.”
Not only did Jeudy have a career year in 2024, he had the greatest game of his career against the Broncos in a Monday Night Football game in Denver on December 2, putting up 9 receptions for 235 yards and 1 touchdown — a game the Broncos won 41-32.
Jeudy Missed Massive Payday With Broncos
Jeudy landed a lucrative contract extension just days after he forced the trade, signing a 3-year, $52.5 million contract extension with the Browns on March 19, 2024. His new deal will bring his career earnings to approximately $81 million following the 2027 season.
Had Jeudy stuck around in Denver for one more season, there’s a good chance he could have landed a contract extension with an average annual salary closer to $30 million instead of the $17.5 million he signed for with the Browns.
Roasted for Actions Following Loss to Broncos
While Broncos fans may have been upset when Jeudy was traded to the Browns, his actions following the loss to the Broncos on Monday Night Football probably made them happy he was gone.
Jeudy took to his official Instagram account the day after the game to give himself a pat on the back after setting an NFL record for the most receiving yards against a former team.
To be clear, congratulating yourself for an individual accomplishment after a loss, regardless of sport, is almost always going to be a bad look — something fans online let Jeudy know in rapid fashion.
While Jeudy had a breakout season in 2024, at the heart of the reason he’s such a terrible first round pick is he was selected ahead of two wide receivers who could eventually wind up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — CeeDee Lamb to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 17 overall and Justin Jefferson to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 22 overall.
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