If the 49ers had dealt Brandon Aiyuk to the Steelers, San Francisco would have attempted to compensate for his departure by acquiring veteran wideout Courtland Sutton. The Broncos rebuked that trade interest, but they received other calls on the Sutton front. 
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Head coach Sean Payton said on Monday that “many teams” made inquiries into Sutton over the past several months (h/t Mike Klis of 9News). The 28-year-old has frequently found himself a trade candidate, with a Ravens swap nearly taking place in March 2023. That did not end up materializing, although Sutton and Jerry Jeudy remained on the trade block through last year’s deadline.
Denver put a second-round price tag on Sutton, who remained in place and scored a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2023. The Broncos ended up adhering to Jeudy’s renewed trade request by dealing him to the Browns, leaving Sutton in place as a key holdover for a passing attack which will be led by first-round rookie Bo Nix. One of several receivers to express displeasure with their contract situations, Sutton skipped OTAs but took part in mandatory minicamp and training camp while seeking an adjustment to his deal.
That effort ultimately landed him $1.7MM in incentives being added to his 2024 compensation. Sutton is under contract for the next two years, and another impressive season from the former Pro Bowler this season would help his case to land an extension next spring. Sutton has topped 1,000 yards only once in his career, but the Broncos’ decision to keep him in place is a sign of the team’s willingness to rely on him as a No. 1 wideout.
Payton termed the 49ers’ reported offer (a third-round pick) “a stretch,” adding that negotiations did not go far. Aiyuk wound up agreeing to a 49ers extension, taking San Francisco out of the market for any further Sutton pursuit. No reports over the summer pointed to any serious talks with other suitors taking place regarding the SMU product, although he is obviously still a target for interested parties. A strong first half of the season could leave Denver out of seller status ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, but otherwise it would not come as a surprise if Sutton’s name were to emerge on the trade block once again.