The Broncos reached extension agreements with Patrick Surtain, Garett Bolles, Quinn Meinerz and Jonathon Cooper last year, but more payday candidates are on Denver’s 2025 docket. Among them: Courtland Sutton, who has graduated from trade-rumor fixture to surefire extension candidate.
After Sutton’s second 1,000-yard season helped Bo Nix finish with 29 touchdown passes — the second-most ever by a rookie — the Broncos will see him report to their offseason program earlier. Sutton had angled for a raise in 2024 but saw the Broncos only agree to an incentive package. Sutton triggered the incentives during a 1,081-yard year, and as the Broncos have 2025 pinpointed for extension talks, goodwill has emerged with their top wideout.
Sutton will report to OTAs in a sign of good faith, 9News’ Mike Klis notes. Even though extension talks will not start with any Broncos candidate until after the draft, Sutton reporting for voluntary work represents confidence a new deal will be struck. Broncos brass ensured Sutton’s camp at the Combine they will engage in good-faith negotiations this offseason, Klis adds.
The 29-year-old pass catcher will be expected to force the issue, not planning to play on his current contract for a final season, but the sides have a few months to hammer out a deal. Sutton, who is due a nonguaranteed $13.5MM (on a four-year, $60MM deal agreed to in November 2021), did not report to Broncos workouts until minicamp last year.
A Sutton extension would provide some clarity for the Broncos at receiver, though his age (30 in October) and the team’s lack of proven pass catchers behind him points to this being a need area. Thus far, however, Denver has stood down. The team showed minor interest in Cooper Kupp and Stefon Diggs, and while Keenan Allen was mentioned as a player who could fit, no Amari Cooper connections have emerged.
The Broncos have Marvin Mims positioned as their No. 2 receiver, but he has brought inconsistency — last year’s strong finish notwithstanding — on offense. Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin are in place as tertiary targets whose roles would be reduced if Denver adds a veteran or uses an early-round choice on a receiver.
Denver already bolstered its skill-position group by outdueling the Chargers for Evan Engram, but a running back need appears ahead of the draft. The team had already been expected to add to its backfield in the draft, and George Paton took the interesting step of confirming that would happen. The fifth-year Broncos GM said (via the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel) the team will draft a back.
The team scheduled a Quinshon Judkins “30” visit and has been mocked Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) at No. 20 overall by some. The Broncos hold their first-, second- and third-round picks for the first time since 2021, having seen the Wilson and Sean Payton trades deplete their capital previously. Kaleb Johnson (Iowa) and Judkins’ Ohio State teammate (TreVeyon Henderson) are other potential second-round options, though the Broncos’ No. 51 overall pick might be insufficient to nab the Big Ten standouts. Fortunately for Denver and other RB-needy teams, this class offers the most depth in many years at the position.
That appears to have influenced the team in free agency. Payton said (via Gabriel) the team viewed this year’s FA crop as thin. The Saints took an Alvin Kamara reunion off the table by completing an in-season extension, preventing him from being a 2025 cap casualty. Kamara peer Aaron Jones re-signed with the Vikings, and this year’s RB market did not move the needle like last year’s star-studded class did. The Patriots, Cardinals and Panthers depleted the group by respectively extending Rhamondre Stevenson, James Conner and Chuba Hubbard as well.
While Payton will observe holdovers Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime, it is certainly possible Denver’s primary RB1 is on the roster yet. The Broncos have not used a first-round pick on a back since Knowshon Moreno in 2009; Paton chose now-Cowboys RB Javonte Williams in the 2021 second round. Perhaps more applicable given Payton’s power in Denver, the Saints used two first-round picks on RBs (Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram) during Payton’s tenure.
If Broncos take a RB with their 1st round pick I won’t be surprised, but they could take a CB in the 1st and wait until the 2nd round to draft a RB.
Of all the positions why would they spend their first pick on a CB, with an all pro entrenched there and Moss also a good young starter? They do need more safety depth however. But I’d suspect a DT or LB would come first, and overall RB and TE still priorities
Moss has missed time with injuries the past two seasons. Moss also played some safety at Iowa, and was predicted to eventually move to safety in the nfl before the draft. Wouldn’t be surprised if they take Grey Zabel in the first round. Especially with questions about powers long term, or the fact that wattenburg is a mixed bag at center. I think they double dip eventually at RB though, Hampton in the first, then a Dylan Sampson/devin Neal/rj Harvey type later on to compete with estime. Whom I think is on the chopping block. Bruiser, but slow, limited blocking and with fumbling issues.