Jerry Jeudy

Three Teams Made Trade Offers For Broncos CB Patrick Surtain

November 14th, 2023 at 1:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following their walk-off win over the Bills, the Broncos may have made the right decision in standing pat at the trade deadline. The team has gone from 1-5 to 4-5 in Sean Payton‘s first season, now residing in a glut of AFC teams vying for wild-card spots. While offers came in for Jerry Jeudy, teams also explored Patrick Surtain.

Leading up to the deadline, the Broncos had made it fairly clear they were not looking to move Surtain. They are believed to have set the price of two first-rounders to even begin discussions, but ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter notes seven teams still contacted the Broncos regarding the All-Pro cornerback’s availability. Three of those made offers.

None of the proposals moved the needle, with Schefter adding the Broncos did not consider trading their top player. Surtain is off to a strong start, joining Dallas’ Micah Parsons and San Francisco safety Talanoa Hufanga as the only first-team All-Pros from the 2021 draft class. Surtain, 23, staying on his current course will call for an easy fifth-year option decision by May and put him on track for a record-setting extension.

It took two first-rounders for the Jaguars to trade Jalen Ramsey in 2019, his fourth season. But Ramsey had aimed to be moved; no speedbumps have occurred during Surtain’s time in Denver. The second-generation corner can be kept on his rookie contract, once the fifth-year option becomes official, until 2025. Payton’s team kept Marshon Lattimore on his rookie deal through his 2021 option year; Surtain on this contract represents one of the most valuable commodities in the game.

Surtain also has some pre-Denver ties to both the Broncos’ current power brokers. Broncos GM George Paton was a Dolphins exec during part of Patrick Surtain Sr.‘s tenure in Miami, and the Saints attempted to trade up for the Alabama prospect in 2021. The younger Surtain went to the Broncos at No. 9 overall that year.

Some around the Broncos’ organization view Surtain as the most talented corner they have come across, Schefter adds. The 2022 All-Pro most recently displayed his coverage prowess against Stefon Diggs on Monday night. The Broncos have enjoyed talented corners for most of this century. Chris Harris collected three All-Pro nods and is on the short list for top slot corners in NFL history, while Aqib Talib was 4-for-4 in Pro Bowls as a Bronco. Although it is early, Surtain’s career arc is closer to Hall of Famer Champ Bailey‘s. The Broncos rostered the first-ballot Hall of Famer for 10 seasons, but they did not acquire the perennial Pro Bowler until his sixth year — via the 2004 Bailey-Clinton Portis swap.

While contract talks or a potential franchise tag situation down the line could change this relationship, it should be expected Surtain’s rookie deal will turn into a mega-extension at some point in the mid-2020s.

Additionally, Schefter said Monday night the Broncos received an offer of third- and fifth-round picks for Jeudy. The team had held out for a first-rounder this offseason, and although Darius Slay went for this picks package years ago, the Broncos have Jeudy signed through 2024. Interest cooled in the Alabama alum, who has been inconsistent this season. But the Broncos still received a reasonable offer for a player without a 1,000-yard season on his resume. They could certainly revisit trade talks next year, considering how frequently Jeudy’s name has come up in trade rumors. For now, they will move forward with the former first-round pick.

Broncos Fielded Deadline Offers On WR Jerry Jeudy

November 9th, 2023 at 2:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

It turned out to be a quiet trade deadline for the Broncos, despite the Randy Gregory deal signaling the team was prepared to make moves. While the team set a lofty asking price to even start conversations on Patrick Surtain and discussed Justin Simmons, its most frequently mentioned trade piece stayed put as well.

Jerry Jeudy has been mentioned as a trade piece since before the 2022 deadline. Offers poured in for the former first-round pick last year, coming as the Broncos’ offense bottomed out weeks into the Nathaniel Hackett–Russell Wilson partnership. Jeudy, who drew interest from the Cowboys and Giants last year, still led that dysfunctional Denver team in receiving — with a career-high 972 yards — and Sean Payton reopened the door to a trade this offseason. But no team is believed to have come especially close to the asking price the Broncos set this year. The Browns and Patriots were mentioned as spring suitors; both moved in different directions, Cleveland trading for Elijah Moore and New England signing JuJu Smith-Schuster.

That continued in the weeks before the deadline. Denver had set a first-round price on Jeudy this offseason, while asking for a second in exchange for Courtland Sutton. The latter is believed to have generated a back-and-forth between the Broncos and Ravens, with a deal being scuttled and Baltimore going with Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency. Going into this year’s deadline, Sutton was viewed as less likely to be moved than Jeudy, who has been inconsistent in Payton’s attack.

Interest in Jeudy was believed to have declined this season, to the point a third-round pick was mentioned as potential compensation. Though, the Colts inquired earlier this fall. It is unclear if the Broncos received a third-round offer for Jeudy, but Payton confirmed (via the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel) offers came in just before last week’s deadline. They were not enough to convince Payton and GM George Paton to move on from Jeudy, who is signed through 2024 via the fifth-year option.

“We’re not the ones to be interviewed,” Payton said of the trade deadline. “Go ask the people that are purchasing. We’re building and putting a team together. We kind of went through this in the offseason with a handful of players. He’s an important part and important piece of what we’re doing. … Shoot, he’s a guy we think is dynamic.”

The Broncos holding out for a better offer points to yet another round of Jeudy trade rumors in 2024, when he will be tied to a fully guaranteed $12.99MM. With 2024 being a Jeudy contract year, the Broncos will need to make a final determination on their plans for the shifty but inconsistent performer. The Alabama alum will have a chance to rebuild his trade value down the stretch this season. In seven games, Jeudy has 336 receiving yards — second on the team to Sutton’s 380 — and one touchdown.

Payton also said the goal will be to involve second-round rookie Marvin Mims more in the offense. For a stretch to start the season, Mims was pacing the Broncos in receiving yardage despite holding a part-time role. Sutton and Jeudy have caught up, but the Oklahoma alum is averaging 22.4 yards per catch (11/246). Mims entered the bye week, however, having not caught a pass in three games. He holds a 30% offensive snap share.

Mims’ progression during the season’s second half, however, could end up being a determinant in how the Broncos proceed with Jeudy and Sutton. The latter is signed through 2025, but no guarantees remain on the deal after this season.

AFC Trade Rumors: Patriots, Broncos, Renfrow

October 31st, 2023 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Patriots fielded lots of calls for trade offers during today’s trade deadline, but two of the bigger names on their roster reportedly received no interest. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, teams called New England to take the temperature on pass rusher Josh Uche, safety Kyle Dugger, and tackle Michael Onwenu, while quarterback Mac Jones and veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott didn’t receive any nibbles.

Uche, Dugger, and Onwenu are all facing contract-years, so they all held a decent chance of being dealt. Uche was reportedly the most likely, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. After a couple quiet years to start his career, Uche burst onto the scene in 2022, combining with Matt Judon for half of the team’s 54 sacks last year. Mike Dugar of The Athletic reports that the Seahawks held serious interest in Uche “with talks going pretty deep,” but ultimately, landed Leonard Williams from New York instead. With Seattle filling their defensive line need with Williams, Uche will remain in New England.

As will, Jones and Elliott. It’s unclear how serious the Patriots were, if at all, about seeking trade partners for the two offensive contributors. The team will face a fifth-round option decision for Jones before next year, while Elliott will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC, starting out West:

It was a similar scene up in Mile High, where the Broncos decided not to move any of their potential trade assets due to a lack of serious interest. While the team reportedly did receive offers on players like receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, they didn’t gauge the offers as good enough to move on, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Mike Klis of 9NEWS relayed that the team is “confident in its group of players.” While it seemed the team may be willing to dive into a rebuild, beating a sick Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs may have convinced them otherwise.
Remaining in the West, the Raiders were unable to find a buyer for wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, to little surprise. Las Vegas gave Renfrow a big-money extension after his Pro Bowl season and has diminished his role severely ever since. So far this year, Renfrow has been on the field for over half of the Raiders’ offensive snaps in only three games. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, the remaining guaranteed money in Renfrow’s contract prevented any teams from fully following through on their interest in the veteran receiver. With Renfrow staying put and the many sources shooting down reports of wide receiver Davante Adams wanting out of Vegas, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders stood pat at the trade deadline.

Russini’s Latest: Broncos, Jets, Eagles

October 29th, 2023 at 10:22am CST by Rory Parks

Dianna Russini of The Athletic has been especially prolific with respect to trade deadline reporting. As we approach the October 31 cutoff, here are a few of Russini’s latest updates from around the league (subscription required):

Broncos wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy have once again featured prominently in this year’s trade rumors. However, a deal has never felt imminent, and none of the current offers that Denver has received have come close to the club’s asking price. One general manager who has spoken with the Broncos told Russini that the team is not “selling cheaply.” Russini confirms previous reports indicating that cornerback Patrick Surtain is not available, despite understandable outside interest in his services.
We heard yesterday that the Bills could be looking to move 2022 first-rounder Kaiir Elam, and Russini reports that Buffalo is looking into cornerback additions. She does not say so specifically, but it could be that the Bills are looking for a replacement for Elam, who has not yet lived up to his draft status.
Rich Cimini of ESPN.com confirms that Jets GM Joe Douglas is willing to move running back Dalvin Cook and edge defender Carl Lawson, especially after both players recently expressed frustration with their current roles. Unsurprisingly, though, Russini reports that Douglas is not getting many calls on either player. Lawson is a healthy scratch for today’s game against the Giants.
Echoing her report from earlier this month, Russini writes that the Cardinals are still not looking to trade wideout Marquise Brown, even though they have received trade interest in the contract-year speedster.
They might be low on cap space, and they might have already made one significant trade acquisition in safety Kevin Byard, but Russini says the Eagles are still looking to buy and are interested in a linebacker. The 49ers are also working the phones and have interest in an edge rusher and a cornerback.
Unlike the Eagles and Niners, the Chiefs, Falcons, and Texans are among the clubs that are expected to stand down at the deadline.

Trade Rumors: Packers, Smith, Byard, Raiders, Broncos, Jeudy, Sutton, Rams

October 26th, 2023 at 5:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Attached to his second Packers contract, Preston Smith is signed through 2026. During a 2022 offseason in which the Packers released Za’Darius Smith, they reupped Preston Smith on a four-year, $52.5MM pact. With the team going through considerable change since that point, the soon-to-be 31-year-old outside linebacker is a name being tossed around in scouting circles ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes. It would cost the Packers just more than $4MM in dead money to trade Smith before the deadline, and the team has a clear extension candidate on the edge in Rashan Gary. Green Bay also used the No. 13 overall pick on pass rusher Lukas Van Ness in April.

In his fifth year with the Packers, Smith has two sacks and five QB hits. Smith posted 17.5 sacks between the 2021 and ’22 seasons, however. His contract would not be difficult for a team to absorb, with a March restructure knocking the 2023 salary to $1.17MM. No guaranteed money remains on the deal post-2023.

With five days remaining until trades are shut down for the year, here is the latest on potential moves:

Kevin Byard refused a Titans pay-cut request this offseason, later agreeing to a resolution that helped the Titans afford DeAndre Hopkins. Even as the Titans fell to 2-4, the eighth-year safety did not request a trade, Terry McCormick of mainstreetmediatn.com notes. Byard, 30, still wanted to finish his career with the Titans, per McCormick, who adds the Titans became receptive when the Eagles inquired on the All-Pro’s availability. The Eagles sent fifth- and sixth-round picks, along with safety Terrell Edmunds, to the Titans for Byard. While Byard is a Philly native, he has played his entire college and pro careers in Tennessee. Jon Robinson‘s first draft as Titans GM produced Byard in Round 3 out of Middle Tennessee State; Byard is signed through 2024.
On the wrong end of one of this season’s worst losses — a 30-12 rout at the hands of the Justin Fields-less Bears — the Raiders are 3-4. But the team is not shifting into sell mode just yet, with Tashan Reed of The Athletic indicating the team is still looking at buyer’s moves (subscription required). A pass rusher remains a clear target for the team, per Reed, though a move to separate from Hunter Renfrow continues to be circulated. The Raiders used the No. 7 overall pick on Tyree Wilson, but their plan of grooming the Texas Tech alum behind Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones combusted after Jones’ messy saga led to an arrest (and later a second arrest) before a release from the NFI list. Wilson has one sack so far, and Crosby remains the only Raider with more than 1.5 this season.
While could certainly be classified as posturing, the Broncos are not committed to moving one of their receivers before the deadline. Trade targets before last year’s deadline as well, Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton came up frequently as trade chips this offseason. Should Denver not receive a substantial offer, The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider notes the team is fine moving forward with each and continuing to build on an offensive improvement after last season’s disaster. Jeudy, who is tied to a $12.99MM fifth-year option salary in 2024, has been viewed as more likely to be moved. But his value has dropped compared to where it was this offseason, which could put the Broncos to a big-picture decision. Sutton, whose $15MM-per-year contract runs through 2025, has been more effective in Sean Payton‘s offense. Although the Broncos will drop to 2-6 if they lose yet again to the Chiefs this week, it is far from a lock the team trades one of its wideouts.
Rumblings about the Rams going back to the buyer’s well surfaced recently, but The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue indicates the team is not expected to be a notable player before the deadline. Sean McVay said recently the team would likely stand down this year, which will be a letdown for headline-driving purposes, considering what the Rams have done at past McVay-era trade deadlines.

Latest On Broncos’ Deadline Plans; Interest In Jerry Jeudy Cooling?

October 23rd, 2023 at 9:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos snapped their skid of home losses, holding off the Packers in Week 7. But thanks to the team’s blown leads against the Raiders, Commanders and Jets, it is 2-5 heading into its Chiefs rematch. Already moving on from Frank Clark and Randy Gregory, the Broncos will have more decisions to make soon.

Although Sean Payton‘s team is believed to be open for business, some pushback has come with regards to how far it will go to stockpile draft capital at the midseason point. The Broncos are prepared to listen on anyone — with the possible exception of Patrick Surtain, who is not believed to be available — but are not planning a sell-off, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes. Barring big offers, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirms the team is not on track to be an aggressive seller.

No team has parted with a higher-profile batch of talent in-season over the past five years than the Broncos, who have moved Demaryius Thomas (2018), Emmanuel Sanders (2019), Von Miller (2021) and Bradley Chubb (2022). And Payton will surely want to recoup some draft capital, especially considering what the franchise needed to give up for him and Russell Wilson. Despite George Paton‘s GM title, Russini confirms Payton will be closely involved in any trade. Considering what the Broncos gave up in terms of compensation and draft capital to land Payton, it has been widely assumed Paton has drifted to second in the personnel hierarchy.

Defensive pieces should be considered more likely to go, per Russini. Denver has a Pro Bowl safety, in Justin Simmons, and veteran linebacker Josey Jewell is in a contract year. None of the Broncos’ post-Gregory/Clark edge rushers are in walk years, however. Defensive tackle D.J. Jones is signed through 2024, though he was added to play in Ejiro Evero‘s defense. Simmons would stand to generate the most interest, given his status as one of the NFL’s best safeties, but Kareem Jackson‘s four-game suspension effectively takes him off the market. The 35-year-old veteran has not played particularly well this season, but his absence — coupled with Caden Sterns‘ season-ending injury in Week 1 — may prompt the Broncos to stand down on Simmons..

More buzz has surrounded Denver’s offensive talent, but the Broncos are not necessarily committed to moving Jerry Jeudy. Although the former first-round pick landed in trade rumors last October and throughout the offseason, he is unlikely to generate an offer close to the level the organization sought. Denver wanted a first-rounder for Jeudy this offseason, but his slow start probably will not lead any team to hand over such a return. Even a second-rounder will probably be difficult to come by, with Denver7’s Troy Renck noting interest has diminished in the talented but inconsistent receiver. While interest remains, Renck mentions a third-rounder as potential compensation. The Broncos drafted Jeudy 15th overall three years ago.

Jeudy’s $12.99MM fifth-year option salary is fully guaranteed; that component has been an issue for teams. Courtland Sutton has fared better this season, and the sixth-year wideout played a lead role in helping the Broncos beat the Packers on Sunday. Sutton, 28, has been viewed as less likely to be traded than Jeudy. But the Broncos still having Jeudy under contract in 2024 gives them time. Sutton is signed through 2025, and with no guarantees on the books beyond this year, flexibility exists in the four-year, $60MM contract.

The Broncos should be expected to make a seller’s trade or two, per Renck, and another loss to the Chiefs would seemingly accelerate a desire to collect a couple of assets. The Broncos also travel to Buffalo after their Week 9 bye. With Simmons, Jeudy and left tackle Garett Bolles signed through 2024, the team will need to weigh its trade chips’ potential future contributions against any offers that come in before the Oct. 31 deadline.

Regarding one of the players the Broncos already jettisoned, Clark remains a free agent. After dangling the ninth-year veteran in trades, the Broncos moved on via release. Payton said Clark grumbled about a lack of playing time, which led to the cut.

“Frank was frustrated with the snaps, or lack thereof,’’ Payton said, via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. “We brought him in hoping that we could get more from him. In fairness to Frank, I don’t think he ever felt like he was getting enough in a row to play well, and yet, some of the other younger guys were earning those spots.”

Clark, 30, did not have much of a chance to see steady snaps. The Broncos used him as a backup in Week 1, and he missed the next three games due to a groin injury sustained in practice. Clark, who has been linked to a Chiefs reunion, played just 11 defensive snaps in his return to action against the Jets. The Broncos activated Baron Browning off the reserve/PUP list Saturday and teamed him with starters Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto in Week 7.

Broncos, Colts Discussed Jerry Jeudy; Courtland Sutton Less Likely To Be Dealt?

October 20th, 2023 at 9:28am CST by Sam Robinson

One of the NFL’s trade-rumor fixtures over the past two years, Jerry Jeudy may be in his final days with the Broncos. The 1-5 team is believed to be open for business on several players, and the 2020 first-round pick’s name continues to come up.

The Colts have been connected to Jeudy during this season’s first half, with ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder noting the Broncos called the AFC South team on the fourth-year wide receiver and other players earlier this season. The Colts expressed minimal interest, per Holder, and the longtime Indianapolis reporter doubts a deal will come to pass.

Conversely, 9News’ Mike Klis adds it was the Colts who contacted the Broncos on Jeudy and others. While it appears quite clear the two AFC teams spoke on possible trades, Indianapolis having shut down Anthony Richardson may make a move less likely for a team coming off a one-sided loss in Jacksonville.

The Colts have Michael Pittman Jr. in a contract year, and after paying Jonathan Taylor, the team’s plans with the former second-round pick are unclear. Pittman is prepared to depart in 2024, should the organization not view him as a core piece any longer. Indy also used a second-round pick on Alec Pierce last year and a third-rounder on slot target Josh Downs. Pierce has just 149 receiving yards through six games, while Downs (276) is faring better in Shane Steichen‘s offense. Jeudy has shown the ability to play both in the slot and outside in Denver, but the shifty route runner has not been an especially consistent weapon despite his profile.

Indy would make some sense as a Jeudy suitor, but this may not be the right time for the team to buy. But Richardson’s rookie contract would give the Colts flexibility on the talented but inconsistent wideout’s $12.99MM fifth-year option salary. Teams are believed to be hesitant on picking up that fully guaranteed sum, providing a potential impediment toward the Broncos moving Jeudy.

Compensation represents another roadblock. The Broncos are believed to have sought a second-round pick ahead of last year’s deadline but bumped up their price to a first during Sean Payton‘s first offseason in charge. With Jeudy’s 222 receiving yards third on this year’s Denver iteration, a first-rounder never seemed remotely possible. In fact, multiple teams informed ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that they would be reluctant to part with a Day 2 pick for Jeudy. However, others indicated a late third-rounder could be on the table due to the talent Jeudy has shown in spurts.

Eleven days away from the 2023 deadline, it looks like Jeudy is the more likely Broncos wideout to be dealt. Courtland Sutton has come up frequently in trade talks, though not as often as the younger Broncos receiver, but Fowler and Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano note Jeudy is more likely to be the receiver Denver moves.

The Broncos placed a second-round price on Sutton this offseason, but the 28-year-old target is attached to a $14MM base salary. Jeudy is tied to a $2.68MM base, though his 2024 salary does complicate matters. Sutton is signed through 2025, with nonguaranteed salaries of $13MM and $13.5MM in place past this year. The 6-foot-4 starter’s deal would seemingly be harder to move, but the Broncos’ George Paton-era willingness to eat the bulk of trade chips’ salaries to facilitate deals — as they did with Von Miller and Randy Gregory — could conceivably be a factor with Sutton or other trade pieces on veteran contracts.

The Broncos continue to be viewed as open for business on most of their players. Mentioned as unlikely to be moved earlier this month, Patrick Surtain remains a near-certainty to stay in Colorado past the deadline. Fowler adds NFL personnel laughed at the notion the All-Pro cornerback could be available. While Surtain (whose contract will run through 2025 once the Broncos exercise his fifth-year option) will almost definitely not be on the move, the Broncos will likely make others available. Names like Justin Simmons and Garett Bolles have circulated as options, though Jeudy remains the centerpiece item based on buzz from the 2022 deadline and this offseason.

Trade Candidates: Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton

October 19th, 2023 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another slow start in Denver has brought about the latest round of trade talks involving the struggling team. Although Randy Gregory went for this season’s trendy low-end trade package — player/seventh for a sixth — and Frank Clark surfaced as a trade chip before being released, the Broncos’ top two wide receivers are again at the center of the trade rumors surrounding the team. With the Broncos at 1-5, they are likely not done moving pieces for draft capital.

In their third full season together, Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton have each spent multiple Octobers in trade rumors. Sutton signed a four-year, $60MM extension in October 2021 but surfaced as a potential trade piece ahead of last year’s deadline. Jeudy, who remains attached to a first-round rookie contract, generated far more interest going into the 2022 deadline.

Teams called the Broncos about Jeudy and Sutton last season, but GM George Paton stood down on both. With the presumed goal of the duo helping a retooled offense around Russell Wilson in 2023, the Broncos held onto their top weapons. While this season has not produced the offensive disaster 2022 did, the Broncos are still not where they want to be on that side of the ball. And both receivers have again come up in potential deals, as the Broncos are believed to be willing to listen on just about anyone not named Patrick Surtain.

The Broncos informed at least two teams — the Cowboys and Giants — their Jeudy pursuit was not sufficient to make a move. Denver was connected to wanting a second-round pick at that point, but this offseason, the now-Sean Payton-run team placed a first-round price on the 2020 first-round pick. Teams understandably balked at that, and Jeudy came into the season as the team’s expected top target. Success has largely eluded the shifty wideout, who has drawn criticism from former players for his unremarkable performance. Through five games (after missing Week 1 with a hamstring injury), Jeudy has just 20 receptions for 222 yards and no touchdowns.

Sutton’s 275 yards and four TD receptions lead the Broncos, and the team did not hold out for a first-round pick in exchange for the former second-rounder this offseason. Denver sought a second-round pick for Sutton, whose $15MM-per-year contract runs through 2025. The Ravens appeared close to making a deal in March, but talks slowed and the team pivoted to a $15MM guarantee for Odell Beckham Jr. While Baltimore’s OBJ signing has not panned out to this point, Sutton is highly unlikely to fetch a second-round pick. Jeudy will not score a first-rounder for the Broncos, and teams may be balking at the Alabama alum’s fully guaranteed $12.99MM 2024 option salary.

A 2018 draftee who developed behind former Denver dynamic duo Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, Sutton has a 1,000-yard season under his belt. That came back in 2019, with a Joe Flacco–Brandon Allen–Drew Lock QB platter targeting the 6-foot-4 receiver. Even as the Broncos’ offense cratered to last place under Nathaniel Hackett, Jeudy posted 972 yards and finished the season strong, recording three 100-yard games in his final five.

Unavailability has largely defined the Broncos’ 2020s receiver blueprint. Sutton suffered an ACL tear in Week 2 of the 2020 season, starting a pattern of injuries that kept the Broncos from fully deploying their planned wideout array together. A reliable target in 2020 and 2021, Tim Patrick also signed an extension in November of ’21 (three years, $30MM) but the 6-4 possession target has suffered ACL and Achilles tears during the past two training camps. The injuries obviously leave the former UDFA’s Broncos future in doubt. Patrick’s injury came after KJ Hamler ran into another health issue, seeing a heart problem lead to a cut. While the Broncos left the door open to the former second-rounder returning, Hamler is now on the Colts’ practice squad. Jeudy has missed 10 career games.

Denver followed up one of the best receiver eras in franchise history — a five-season Thomas-Sanders partnership that involved lucrative extensions sandwiching the team’s Super Bowl 50 win — with what has amounted to a letdown. Payton has been unable to coax steady production from either thus far, and moving one of them appears likely — especially if losses continue ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline. A trade would open up more playing time for second-round pick Marvin Mims, who has shown flashes as a deep threat. The Broncos have not used the Payton-era pickup too often, however, playing him on just 97 snaps thus far. Mims’ 246 receiving yards still top Jeudy’s output.

Jeudy, 24, is tied to a $2.68MM base salary this year. Sutton, 28, is attached to a $14MM base that will be much harder to move. Under Paton, the Broncos have shown a willingness to eat salary to facilitate trades. The Broncos paid all but the prorated veteran minimum to move Von Miller in 2021 (for second- and third-round picks) and did the same to send out Gregory earlier this season. Denver has also been this period’s most notable seller, having dealt Thomas in 2018 (to the Texans, for a fourth-round pick), Sanders in 2019 (to the 49ers, for third- and fourth-rounders) and Bradley Chubb (to the Dolphins, for first- and fourth-rounders, along with Chase Edmonds).

Keeping viable receivers in place to help Wilson may no longer be a concern for the Broncos, who will undoubtedly consider moving on from the underwhelming trade acquisition — via a record-setting dead-money charge, even in a post-June 1 cut scenario — in 2024. But the team’s offseason asking prices for Jeudy and Sutton will probably not be met. Both players do not appear part of Payton’s long-term plan, and each would probably be more interesting on a contender with a better offensive setup.

The Broncos will need to determine how much below asking price they will be willing to go to move on from the pillars of a promising but ultimately disappointing receiving cast. The team has less than two weeks to decide.

Latest On Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy

October 17th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos are positioned to once again play the role of sellers at the trade deadline. That could lead to a few noteworthy players heading out of the Mile High City, including wideout Jerry Jeudy.

The former first-rounder has routinely found himself in trade talk in recent years, despite insistence from the Broncos he has never been shopped in a potential deal. Denver was connected to an asking price of a first-round pick for Jeudy during the offseason, and it remains unlikely the team would land a haul that lucrative at this point. The 24-year-old is on the books for the remainder of 2023 as well as next year on the fifth-year option.

The Broncos’ decision to pick up Jeudy’s option – a move which locked him into a guaranteed salary of $12.99MM – appears to be a sticking point in trade talks. Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network reports that interested teams have no issue taking on Jeudy’s remaining compensation for this year (a prorated portion of his $2.68MM base salary), but that his option for next year is serving as a “deterrent.”

The Alabama alum entered the league with considerable expectations as the No. 15 pick in the 2020 draft, but things have not entirely gone according to plan. Jeudy, like several other Broncos wideouts, has battled injuries during his time in Denver, and when healthy he has posted less-than-spectacular numbers. A career high in catches (67), yards (972) and touchdowns (six) offered a glimpse of what he could produce with new head coach Sean Payton at the helm. However, the 2023 campaign has seen him record more than 52 yards in a game only once so far, and he has yet to find the end zone.

Both Jeudy and fellow receiver Courtland Sutton are among the Broncos’ trade chips leading up to the October 31 trade deadline. Denver is prepared to listen to offers on any number of contributors (including, of course, those whose arrival predates that of Payton and general manager George Paton). The willingness of contending teams to make a commitment not only for the rest of this year but also 2024 in Jeudy’s case will be worth watching in the coming days and weeks.

Broncos To Release OLB Frank Clark

October 13th, 2023 at 8:40am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 13: Unlike the Gregory last call, no trade partner emerged here. The Broncos are officially releasing Clark on Friday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. With the trade deadline still nearly three weeks away, Clark’s vested-veteran status will send him straight to free agency. Inactive for Thursday night’s game, the ninth-year veteran closes his Denver tenure with 36 defensive snaps.

OCTOBER 12: The Broncos opened the season with two 2015 second-rounders residing as their highest-profile edge rushers. By Week 7, both are likely to be out of the picture. After the Broncos dealt Randy Gregory to the 49ers, they are eyeing a separation from Frank Clark.

Rumored to be a trade candidate, Clark will not face the Chiefs tonight due to what the Broncos’ injury report classifies as an illness. The Broncos, however, are preparing to move on from Clark — via trade or release — in the near future, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports.

Clark, 30, restructured his one-year, $5MM contract recently, per Yates, giving up $1.69MM in guaranteed salary. The move trims Clark’s $3.5MM base salary to the prorated veteran minimum ($841K), NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds. This restructure will make Clark’s contract easier to move. Clark returned to action last week against the Jets, coming back after sustaining a groin injury in practice. Holding him out of tonight’s game will protect against a reinjury.

The former Seahawks and Chiefs edge rusher has generated some trade interest, and after the Gregory move, had been viewed as available. While Clark notched two double-digit sack seasons in Seattle and made memorable contributions during Kansas City’s playoff runs, he does not have a sack or a QB hit in his limited Denver run.

Although Clark will become an interesting hired gun of sorts moving forward, he spent several weeks in free agency waiting for other edge dominoes to fall. Leonard Floyd‘s one-year, $7MM Bills pact led to the Broncos giving Clark a one-year, $5MM deal shortly after they made Brandon McManus a post-June 1 cut. On that note, the Broncos should not expect too much in trade compensation here. Though, reducing Clark’s salary to the minimum will certainly help on that front. Denver collected a 2024 sixth-rounder from San Francisco for Gregory, whom the team was prepared to cut.

After calling out Gregory for poor effort in a 70-20 demolition at the Dolphins’ hands in Week 3, the Broncos benched him and moved 2022 second-round pick Nik Bonitto into the lineup. Bonitto is on a tear as a starter, combining for 4.5 sacks over the past two games. The Broncos have used 2021 seventh-round pick Jonathon Cooper (three sacks) as a starter since Week 1, with Clark coming off the bench in the team’s opener. Baron Browning, a 2021 third-rounder whom the team converted from inside linebacker last year, remains on the reserve/PUP list and will not play tonight. But Browning is likely on track to debut in Week 7, Denver7’s Troy Renck adds.

Deteriorating fits notwithstanding, a suddenly woeful Broncos defense could probably use Gregory and Clark — at least while Browning is out. These separations signal more moves are likely coming for a 1-4 team. While Sean Payton stopped short of saying the Broncos were shopping veterans, other clubs believe they are open for business ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline. Trade-rumor mainstays Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton are likely returning to the news cycle, with Renck adding Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson are two other names to monitor.

Clark sits behind only Willie McGinest and Bruce Smith in postseason sacks, with 13.5, but he did not live up to the five-year, $104MM deal the Chiefs gave him following a 2019 tag-and-trade transaction. Clark topped out at eight sacks in a season and has not tallied more than six in a single campaign since 2019. Two arrests on gun charges in 2021 led to a two-game suspension last year, and the Chiefs cut him this offseason. Still, Clark figures to land in a contending team’s pass-rushing rotation soon.

The Broncos picked up the pieces after John Elway‘s 1999 retirement far more quickly than they have post-Peyton Manning, and the years since the latter’s 2016 exit led to Denver becoming this period’s most prolific deadline seller. After dealing Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Von Miller and Bradley Chubb over the past five years, it appears the Broncos will keep going as Payton attempts to build for the future. Jeudy and Simmons are signed through 2024, with Jeudy’s fifth-year option ($12.99MM) fully guaranteed. Sutton’s four-year, $60MM deal runs through 2025; Jackson is on a one-year contract.

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