HEADLINES

Broncos WR Courtland Sutton Contemplating Training Camp Holdout

July 1st, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

A number of contract-related disputes are ongoing around the league, many of which affect the receiver position. In the case of the Broncos and Courtland Sutton, no resolution is imminent.

The former Pro Bowler confirmed earlier this month that he and the team are at a standstill with respect to negotiations on a new pact. Two years remain on Sutton’s contract, with $2MM of his 2024 base salary guaranteed. He is open to an adjustment to the deal consisting of new compensation – as opposed to an extension – but it remains to be seen if the Broncos will accommodate that wish.

Sutton skipped OTAs while recovering from offseason ankle surgery, and he gave thought to remaining away from the team during minicamp. Instead, the 28-year-old took part in the mandatory event while noting progress still needs to be made on the contract front. With that remaining the case, he could be absent once training camp opens later this month.

When asked if he will hold out in the absence of a new agreement, the former second-rounder replied, via The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider, “We’ll see” (subscription required). Players have stayed away from teams during training camp on plenty of occasions before, although more recently the ‘hold-in’ approach has become common. The latter avenue consists of players attending camp but not taking part in any on-field work.

Being attached to a non-rookie pact, Sutton would be subject to mandatory daily fines if he elected to skip training camp. The SMU product helped his bargaining position with a career-high 10 touchdown catches in 2023, and the Broncos’ decision to trade away Jerry Jeudy left Sutton in place as an experienced receiving option for a new-look QB room. On the other hand, Sutton has just one season on his resume (2019) with more than 1,000 yards.

The top of the receiver market has reached new heights this offseason, and the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb and Brandon Aiyuk are positioned to land monster extensions from their respective teams. Sutton is not in an identical position given his age and production, but his situation is still one to monitor closely as training camp approaches. It will be interesting to see if traction is gained with respect to negotiations given the possibility of a holdout.

NFL Trade Rumors: Denver BroncosCourtland Sutton

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