Courtland Sutton impressed with development of Broncos’ receiving corps

The veteran wide receiver is excited about how his younger teammates have progressed this season.

In his seventh season with the Denver Broncos, Courtland Sutton is the elder statesman of the team’s receiving corps.

Over the course of the past several off-season’s, he has been the center of potential trade rumors as the team seeks to reforge its culture and identity. But the fact Sutton still remains certainly means Head Coach Sean Payton admires not only his skills on the field, but the leadership he brings to a young wide receiver group.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise he has been Bo Nix’s favorite target his season. Through 10 games, Sutton has 49 catches and 647 yards and 3 touchdowns on 85 targets in his 2024 campaign—all high marks for the team. If he continues at his current trajectory, Sutton’s ‘24 performance will the best since 2019 when he earned Pro-Bowl honors.

But his mentorship and leadership have also been valuable for the team. He’s been a shoulder to lean on for the younger players and a treasure trove of advice for the young players still looking to make their biggest splashes in the National Football League to date. Last Sunday’s efforts against the Atlanta Falcons were a sign of things to come. When asked how he felt about his fellow receivers’ progress to date, Sutton offered very high praise.

“I think that those guys have taken on the challenge really well, and they continue to develop and continue to progress with the professionalism that comes with playing this sport and playing this position,” added Sutton.

The Broncos might lack a true alpha receiver in the room ala Ja’Marr Chase, but over the past few weeks the vision of their receiving corps has come into focus. All three of their draft picks over the past two seasons have been finding meaningful ways to contribute and the offense has been better for it.

Rookie Devaughn Vele has been a pleasant surprise and one of the unit’s top performers. Vele has been the ultimate chain-mover for the offense. Even though he missed four games, he has 26 receptions for 281 yards and 1 touchdown. Fourteen of those catches have gone for first downs. Even better, the rookie has been sure-handed going 8-of-9 on third down balls thrown in his direction this season.

It might be too early to proclaim, but it sure looks like the Broncos unearthed a diamond in the rough late in the seventh round in last year’s draft.

Moreover, Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin have also been trending upwards. They have added speed and a much-needed spark to the Broncos’ offensive endeavors. With so many different receivers in the room it’s hard to get everyone touches. However, Payton has done well getting them more involved over the past several weeks.

“The ceiling is beyond high for those guys. They have so much potential. It’s been a lot of fun watching them grow into themselves,” added Sutton. “They are going to continue to get better. I’m just excited to be part of their journey as well.”

In order for the Broncos to make the postseason, the offense is going to continue to play at a high level. I have no doubts that Payton has many tricks and unique play calls still in his bag that will help with their offensive endeavors.

This weekend they have an opportunity to showcase their abilities again going up against a Las Vegas Raiders defense that has struggled immensely over the past several games. I’m looking forward to seeing the young players step up and continue to make a name for themselves in the NFL.