On July 28, George Paton made good on a promise he presumably made to Broncos star wide receiver Courtland Sutton: “Hey, Courtland, if you’re good, you’ll get paid accordingly.”
On that day, Sutton hauled in one of the biggest catches of his career – a four-year, $92-million extension, $41 million of which is guaranteed. His new $23 million annual salary represents nearly $10 million more than he was slated to make this season, and places him tied at No. 18 (with Calvin Ridley) among current NFL wideouts. It could be argued that Sutton is better than the 18th best receiver in the league, so the deal looks good for both sides.
In 2024, the seven-year veteran had 81 catches, good for 1,081 yards and 8 touchdowns. It was his best season since 2019 – his only Pro Bowl campaign – in which he nabbed 72 balls for 1,112 yards and 6 touchdowns. Comparatively, his 81 catches ranked 21st last season, while his 1,081 yards and 8 touchdowns ranked 16th and 13th respectively.
While his newfound compensation feels both justified and appropriate, assessing Sutton’s career as a Denver Bronco isn’t so simple. Up until last season, Sutton was never part of a playoff team. Still, his personal numbers as a Bronco are respectable, especially considering the only starting quarterback he caught passes for in consecutive seasons was Russell Wilson. This year, he should benefit from
the consistency of having Nix under center for the second season in a row.
If Sutton has another solid season – let’s say 85 catches, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns, give or take – he’ll move up the ranks, at least statistically speaking, of the Broncos all-time great pass-catchers.
Sutton currently ranks 9th in all-time receptions with 379, and if he happens to snag 85 more this season, he’ll leapfrog Riley Odoms, Emmanuel Sanders, Vance Johnson and Ed McCaffrey on his way to 5th all-time. Sutton ranks 11th in terms of yardage (5,340), but if he posts another 1,000-yard season, he’ll surpass Sanders, Haven Moses, Johnson, Odoms, Steve Watson and McCaffrey – again, putting him at No. 5 on the all-time list. With 32 receiving touchdowns, Sutton ranks 11th all-time, but if he finds paydirt 10 times this season, he’ll move up to 7th, needing 26 more to catch leader Rod Smith (68) and 18 to match Demaryius Thomas (60).
Should Sutton play out his entire four-year deal in Denver, it’s quite possible he’ll be pushing top-3 status in every key category. Given his meandering – and at times, frustrating – career path in Denver, Sutton’s place in Broncos history makes for a good debate.
Jan 12, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) runs after making a catch in the fourth quarter of an AFC wild card game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
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“Courtland Sutton certainly isn’t the best all-time Broncos receiver – that honor goes to either Demaryius Thomas or Rod Smith – but he may turn out to be one of the most reliable in team history by the time this contract is up. I see Sutton going for 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns this season.”
