Jerry Jeudy

Broncos ‘Open For Business’ In Trades?

October 11th, 2023 at 10:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

On the whole, the Broncos’ offense has submitted far more competent work compared to a perplexing 2022 season. After finishing last in scoring last season, Denver is 10th through five games. But the defense — a reliable facet for most of the franchise’s post-Peyton Manning years — has faceplanted, ranking last across the board and leading the way in a 1-4 start. Naturally, teams are monitoring the Broncos ahead of the trade deadline.

Denver has made a habit of selling at recent deadlines, unloading Demaryius Thomas (2018), Emmanuel Sanders (2019), Von Miller (2021) and Bradley Chubb (2022). They have already cut bait on Randy Gregory, dealing him to the 49ers. Reports ahead of Week 5 indicated the Broncos were not preparing to be early sellers and that offensive players were not in line to be moved, but after the team dropped another home game, it appears potential buyers believe the retooling squad will be prepared to move assets.

Teams believe Denver will be “open for business” in trades, per Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, who indicates the team is prepared to listen to offers. While recent reports pointed to the Broncos not being ready to unload key offensive pieces, Graziano adds the team is expected to once again listen to offers for Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton along with talent on defense. The Broncos are not interested in trading Patrick Surtain, per Graziano, as the franchise naturally views the All-Pro cornerback as a building block. But Denver supporting-casters are likely to come up frequently in rumors, especially if the team’s losing streak against the Chiefs continues Thursday night.

“We’re not looking to do business with any of our players. That doesn’t prevent teams from calling at times, so we just — you pick the phone up, that’s kind of where it’s at,” Sean Payton said, via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold. “We’ve got a good handle on this current roster and our vision for the roster a year from now, that’s the part about improving and getting better.”

GM George Paton was at the controls when the team unloaded Miller (for second- and third-round Rams picks) and Chubb (for Dolphins first- and fourth-rounders, with Chase Edmonds included as salary filler). The third-year GM is almost definitely second in command to Payton this year, and with the longtime Saints coach not present when the most of the team’s trade pieces were initially acquired, it is logical to expect the Broncos to strongly consider moving talent before the Oct. 31 deadline. Players are leery of a potential teardown, NFL.com’s James Palmer notes.

Confirming a weekend report that Frank Clark is likely available, Palmer adds players took notice at the Gregory trade. The Broncos cut an edge rusher who began the season as a starter, agreeing to pay almost all of Gregory’s salary — a tactic they used with Miller to increase trade compensation from the Rams — to convince the 49ers to acquire him. The Broncos accepted a Day 3 pick swap in 2024 for Gregory, who is tied to a five-year, $69.5MM contract. The team will undoubtedly be looking for better returns for other trade chips.

Jeudy and Sutton came up as chips early this offseason, with the Broncos wanting a first-rounder for the former and a second for the latter. The Broncos engaged in “a lot” of conversations about Jeudy and Sutton this offseason, Graziano adds, and the Ravens moved close to acquiring Sutton before their Odell Beckham Jr. signing. Based on the starters’ early-season showings, those asks seem farfetched. Jeudy has totaled 208 receiving yards in four games; Sutton is at 229 in five. Both have submitted better work, but neither has been consistent in Payton’s offense just yet.

Payton’s Saints teams relied on WR1s Marques Colston and Michael Thomas, but his first Broncos squad has spread the ball around. Second-round rookie Marvin Mims leads the team in receiving yards (246), despite being a part-time player on offense. Moving one of the regulars would open the door for Mims, though the Oklahoma-developed deep threat has a clear WR3 window as is. Nevertheless, he has only played 28% of the Broncos’ offensive snaps.

Left tackle Garett Bolles has come up loosely in rumors in the past, including over the weekend, and the Broncos do have swingman Cameron Fleming as insurance. Though, the team experienced rampant O-line health issues last season. Bolles has recovered from the broken leg that ended his 2022 campaign, starting all five games this year. Bolles, 31, is a seventh-year starter who is signed through 2024. Eighth-year safety Justin Simmons turns 30 next month; his $15.25MM-per-year contract runs through 2024. The Pro Bowler is tied to a $14.4MM base salary.

Broncos’ Frank Clark Generating Trade Interest; Team Not Inclined To Trade Offensive Talent

October 8th, 2023 at 10:33am CST by Rory Parks

We heard just last week that the 1-3 Broncos are not planning to be early sellers in advance of the October 31 trade deadline. Naturally, the team’s decision-making will be impacted quite a bit by how it fares over the next several weeks, and as ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes, Denver has received calls about a number of players on the roster and could be an active participant in deadline activity.

Specifically, the Broncos are willing to listen to offers for any defensive player, according to sources around the league. The team just dealt edge defender Randy Gregory to the 49ers for a minimal return, and fellow pass rusher Frank Clark could be next. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Clark has drawn interest from rival teams, and if he performs well in the coming weeks, that interest will only increase.

Clark was released by the Chiefs prior to the opening of free agency in March, and after he lingered for a couple of months on the open market, he and the Broncos agreed to a one-year contract in June. The plan was for Clark and Gregory to spearhead the Denver pass rush, but as has been the case for most aspects of Sean Payton‘s Mile High tenure thus far, things have not gone according to plan.

Gregory played in just six games in 2022, his first season in Denver, and his lack of effort in the club’s historic drubbing at the hands of the Dolphins in Week 3 of the current campaign led to his losing his starting job for the Broncos’ Week 4 tilt with the Bears (although he entered that game in the second defensive series and ultimately played nearly half of the defensive snaps). Pro Football Focus has Gregory graded as a bottom-10 edge defender through the first four games of the year, and the Broncos needed to eat nearly all of his 2023 salary just to coax a late-round pick swap in 2024 out of San Francisco.

Clark, meanwhile, played in the Broncos’ season-opening loss to the Raiders but suffered a partial abductor tear in practice several days later. He is expected to be back on the field for Denver’s bout with the Jets today, which could be an audition of sorts for potential trade partners. Most of Clark’s compensation came in the form of a signing bonus, so an acquiring team would be on the hook for only the remaining portion of his $1.21MM base salary.

Wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy have generated trade interest in the past several years, and Schefter expects teams to again inquire on both players as October rolls along. Likewise, Armando Salguero of Outkick.com hears that GM George Paton has fielded calls from clubs that believe Denver could be in sell mode, with those calls focusing on Clark, Sutton, Jeudy, and LT Garett Bolles. Quarterback Russell Wilson has not been the subject of any trade inquiries.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that the Broncos are not looking to move any of their offensive talent at present. As the team currently ranks last in both total defense and points allowed, it makes sense that Paton would be more inclined to move defensive pieces.

Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy To Return In Week 2

September 15th, 2023 at 3:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos will have their top wide receiver available in Week 2. Jerry Jeudy faced a return timetable of “several weeks” upon suffering a hamstring injury on Aug. 24, but he will make it back after missing just one regular-season game.

Sean Payton said Jeudy is good to go for Sunday’s Commanders-Broncos game. This will help a team that finished its opener without three of its top four pass catchers. Tim Patrick is set to miss another full season, and tight end Greg Dulcich suffered a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out multiple weeks.

Jeudy is going into his fourth NFL season. While the former first-round pick has missed the fewest number of games, Jeudy setbacks have been part of an injury-prone pass-catching cast’s health history. The Broncos have seen Patrick suffer multiple season-ending maladies during training camp and Sutton go down with an ACL tear in Week 2 of the 2020 season. KJ Hamler sustained an ACL tear in Week 3 of the 2021 campaign and missed much of last season as well. A Hamler heart issue led the Broncos to waive the former second-round pick, with the prospect of a reunion in play, during camp this year.

The No. 15 overall pick in 2020, Jeudy missed much of the 2021 season because of a high ankle sprain. He showed progress down the stretch of last year’s abysmal Broncos season. The shifty route runner totaled 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns last year, putting together a strong finish to provide a glimmer of hope after the Broncos’ Russell Wilson–Nathaniel Hackett season ended with the team dropping to last place in scoring.

Denver picked up Jeudy’s $12.99MM fifth-year option in May, doing so after dangling him in trades. With Patrick out of the picture, both Jeudy and fellow offseason trade chip Courtland Sutton will be needed. Denver needed to use the likes of Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Brandon Johnson and Phillip Dorsett alongside Sutton and second-round rookie Marvin Mims against the Raiders. Jeudy returning should provide a boost to the 0-1 team, which did present a more respectable passing attack in Week 1. The Broncos’ progress stalled in the second half, however.

In addition to Jeudy, third-round rookie Riley Moss will make his season debut in Week 2. The Broncos traded up for the Iowa cornerback in April, sending the Seahawks a 2024 third-round pick to climb up for Moss at No. 83. The 6-foot-1 defender, who underwent core muscle surgery this summer, will join a Broncos cornerback corps missing slot defender K’Waun Williams. While All-Pro Patrick Surtain anchors this group, the Broncos have questions at their other corner spots.

Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy In Jeopardy Of Missing Regular-Season Time

August 24th, 2023 at 7:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos continue to experience persistent trouble keeping their wide receivers healthy. Weeks after another Tim Patrick season-ending injury, Jerry Jeudy is now in jeopardy of beginning the regular season on the inactive list.

A hamstring injury required Jeudy to be transported off the Broncos’ practice field on a cart Thursday, and while 9News’ Mike Klis notes the cart was precautionary, an MRI confirmed Jeudy’s malady is significant. Denver’s top receiver is expected to miss several weeks, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).

This is on-brand for the 2020s Broncos, who used a few first- and second-round picks on wideouts but have been unable to either keep them on the field together. Patrick, who suffered a torn ACL during training camp last year and a torn Achilles earlier this month, will exit this season having missed 34 consecutive games. KJ Hamler, who has battled injuries throughout his career, is off the roster — perhaps temporarily — due to a heart condition. Courtland Sutton missed 14 games in 2020 due to an ACL tear.

Jeudy, 24, has been the healthiest of this receiving group. His only extended absence came early during the 2021 season, when he sustained a high ankle sprain. The 2020 first-round pick missed seven games that season and ended the campaign without a touchdown. Despite Denver’s widespread offensive struggles last season, Jeudy finished with a career-high 972 receiving yards and six TDs. The elusive Alabama product produced two 100-yard games in his final three last season and scored three TDs in a December loss to the Chiefs. The Broncos picked up Jeudy’s $12.99MM fifth-year option in May.

The regular season being 2 1/2 weeks away puts the Broncos in a time crunch with Jeudy. Sutton and second-round rookie Marvin Mims represent the team’s top two healthy wideouts. Mims missed time earlier in camp due to a hamstring malady as well. Denver has two of Sean Payton‘s former Saints charges — Marquez Callaway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey — along with regular backup Kendall Hinton. The team lost Jalen Virgil to a meniscus injury during its second preseason game, leading him to IR.

Denver dangled Jeudy in trades this offseason but held a high price, asking for a first-rounder. The team asked for a second-rounder to move Sutton, and the Ravens engaged in negotiations prior to signing Odell Beckham Jr. Payton soon said both players were in his 2023 plans. These two represent the Broncos’ top receivers, and with Patrick out, it is unlikely either is moved. Despite Jeudy’s injury being classified as significant, it would surprise if the Broncos used an in-season IR spot here. That would sideline Jeudy for the season’s first four games. Denver keeping its top pass catcher on the 53-man roster and going week to week would be the likelier scenario.

2024 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

May 1st, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 2 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2020 first-rounders who are entering the final year of their rookie deals. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement and performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternate Pro Bowlers) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag.
One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag.
Players who achieve any of the following will get the average of the third-20th highest salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position.

With the deadline looming, we’ll use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

QB Joe Burrow, Bengals ($29.5MM): Exercised
DE Chase Young, Commanders ($17.45MM): Declined
CB Jeff Okudah, Falcons* ($11.51MM): N/A
T Andrew Thomas, Giants ($14.18MM): Exercised
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins ($23.2MM): Exercised
QB Justin Herbert, Chargers ($29.5MM): Exercised
DT Derrick Brown, Panthers ($11.67MM): Exercised
LB Isaiah Simmons, Cardinals ($12.72MM): Declined
CB C.J. Henderson, Jaguars** ($11.51MM): Declined
T Jedrick Wills, Browns ($14.18MM): Exercised
T Mekhi Becton, Jets ($12.57MM): Declined
WR Henry Ruggs, Raiders: N/A
T Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers ($18.24MM): Exercised
DT Javon Kinlaw, 49ers ($10.46MM): Declined
WR Jerry Jeudy, Broncos ($14.12MM): Exercised
CB AJ Terrell, Falcons ($12.34MM): Exercised
WR CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys ($17.99MM): Exercised
OL Austin Jackson, Dolphins ($14.18MM): Declined
CB Damon Arnette, Raiders: N/A
DE K’Lavon Chaisson, Jaguars ($12.14MM): Declined
WR Jalen Reagor, Vikings*** ($12.99MM): To decline
WR Justin Jefferson, Vikings ($19.74MM): Exercised
LB Kenneth Murray, Chargers ($11.73MM): Declined
G Cesar Ruiz, Saints ($14.18MM): Declined
WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers ($14.12MM): Exercised
QB Jordan Love, Packers ($20.27MM): Extended through 2024
LB Jordyn Brooks, Seahawks ($12.72MM): Declined
LB Patrick Queen, Ravens ($12.72MM): Declined
T Isaiah Wilson, Titans: N/A
CB Noah Igbinoghene, Dolphins ($11.51MM): Declined
CB Jeff Gladney, Vikings: N/A
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs ($5.46MM): To decline

* = Lions traded Okudah on April 11, 2023
** = Jaguars traded Henderson on Sept. 27, 2021
*** = Eagles traded Reagor on August 31, 2022

Broncos Pick Up WR Jerry Jeudy’s Fifth-Year Option

May 1st, 2023 at 12:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

After his future in Denver appeared to be in doubt, Jerry Jeudy will remain with the Broncos through the next two seasons. The receiver will have his fifth-year option picked up, as confirmed by a team announcement. Doing so will set him for a $14.12MM cap hit in 2024.

Jeudy, 24, was the second receiver off the board in 2020, going 15th overall and entering the Mile High City with considerable expectations. By and large, he has yet to live up to them, failing to eclipse the 1,000-yard threshold in any of his three seasons with the team. During a strong showing to close out the 2022 campaign, however, he began to flash the potential he showed coming out of college.

The Alabama product finished the season with new career highs in catches (67), yards (972) and touchdowns (six), a relatively impressive statline considering the challenges the Broncos’ offense suffered throughout the campaign. Those totals also led to several inquiries around the league regarding Jeudy’s availability (along with that of fellow wideout Courtland Sutton).

On multiple occasions, Broncos decision-makers have insisted Jeudy in particular is part of the team’s long-term plans. This move proves that sentiment, and will allow him to continue his career ascent while Denver looks to take a much-needed step forward on offense to begin the Sean Payton era. Their passing game will have a new element following their approach to the draft.

The Broncos traded up in the second round to select Oklahoma wideout Marvin Mims, giving them a vertical threat and another young option at the position. He, along with Jeudy, is in line to serve in a leading role for at least the short-term future on offense. How willing Denver is to commit to a multi-year deal with the latter (this offseason or next) will now become an interesting storyline to monitor.

Latest On Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton

April 21st, 2023 at 2:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

As it stands now, the Broncos will not make a draft pick until early in the third round. Denver holds the Nos. 67 and 68 overall choices, having traded out of the first round (twice) and second.

The team, which dealt its top two 2023 draft choices for Russell Wilson and unloaded the pick it obtained for Bradley Chubb — No. 29 overall — for Sean Payton, has fielded calls on Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. Payton said both players are in the team’s plans, after high trade prices emerged for each. When asked about Jeudy, GM George Paton confirmed the former first-round pick will be back.

“We’re high — really high — on Jerry. We don’t anticipate doing anything with Jerry,” Paton said regarding a potential Jeudy trade, via Denver7’s Troy Renck. “Jerry finished the season strong — the last five games, he had over 500 yards. He was one of the top receivers in the league. We like Jerry, and he’s going to be here.”

While this does not shut down the prospect of the Broncos dealing the John Elway-era investment, the team moving its best wide receiver ahead of a critical Wilson season has always been a risky proposition. Jeudy, 24 on Monday, finished with a career-high 972 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season. The Broncos have wanted a first-round pick in a prospective trade; it is fairly clear no team has offered that.

That said, Paton did not confirm the team would pick up Jeudy’s fifth-year option. Because Jeudy has not made a Pro Bowl, the Alabama alum would be in line for a $14.12MM fully guaranteed 2024 salary if the Broncos exercised the option. They have until May 2 to do so. Not indicating they will pick up the option does leave the door open to the Broncos trading Jeudy — and letting his next team decide on the option — but that trail has been cold for weeks.

The Ravens discussed Sutton with the Broncos earlier this offseason, and The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec notes the teams looked to be far along toward a potential trade (subscription required). But the Broncos backed out of the talks. Baltimore has since signed Odell Beckham Jr., giving the eight-year veteran a $15MM guarantee. Sutton is due a $14MM base salary this year; that figure is guaranteed. The Broncos have wanted a second-round pick for Sutton, whom Paton extended (on a four-year, $60MM deal) during the 2021 season.

It is unclear exactly when the Ravens-Broncos talks neared a potential deal; Payton expressed support for both to be back March 26. It will not be safe to lock in Jeudy or Sutton as Broncos until next Friday, when the second round of the draft begins. But the Payton-Paton tandem has kept pointing to both starters returning.

Denver is on track to have Tim Patrick back from a training camp ACL tear; the possession receiver has received full clearance for football activities. The Broncos gave both Patrick and Sutton extensions just before the 2022 offseason led to a market shift at the position, but 2021 represents the only window in which both joined Jeudy as healthy. Jeudy also suffered a high ankle sprain that season, shelving him for several games. The Broncos, who lost Sutton to an ACL tear in 2020, have been unable to keep ex-second-rounder KJ Hamler on the field as well. Hamler sustained a partial pectoral tear recently and will be sidelined for months.

The team did bring in Marquez Callaway, who played for Payton in New Orleans, and was in on free agents Allen Lazard and Adam Thielen. One of the latter two signing would have created a crowded receiver room. As of now, however, the Broncos are mostly rolling with their holdover receivers. Will a move by Day 2 of the draft change the equation?

Broncos HC Sean Payton Insists Team Will Not Trade WRs Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton

March 26th, 2023 at 10:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Throughout the early offseason, rumors have run rampant concerning two of the Broncos’ most promising assets. Denver fielded calls before last year’s trade deadline from several teams seeking to acquire wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. Despite the existing interest, new head coach Sean Payton assured the media today that they have no intentions of dealing Jeudy or Sutton.

Trade interest in the two young wideouts began last season as needy teams were looking to add some weapons for a playoff run. Although it became clear that the Broncos weren’t shopping the two players two weeks ago, teams have still been calling to inquire about their availability.

At the annual league meetings, Payton chose to address the situation quite plainly. “I see and read like everyone else does,” Payton told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. “Then occasionally, when someone really crowds the plate, I throw a fastball right at their chin, and they back up, and they’re like, ‘Alright.’ And so I haven’t thrown any fastballs lately, but we’re not trading those two players.”

For those confused by Payton’s baseball analogy, the new Denver head coach is saying that if anyone was pushing too hard for Jeudy or Sutton, he would make sure they received the message of their unavailability. Apparently, that hasn’t been necessary, so far.

“When people call and the phone rings like it does this time of year, [general manager] George Paton‘s job is to pick it up and say, ‘Hey. Tell you what, we’re not,'” Payton continued. “And so, we’ve received calls, you bet. Those are two good football players. But we’re in the business of gathering talent right now. Why do people call? Because they know we’re void of draft picks and that we might, because there was some discussions a year ago, I think, regarding Courtland. But we like the current group we’re working with.”

So, it looks like Denver will be moving forward with those top-two weapons for quarterback Russell Wilson. Under new leadership and with the return of a strong third option in Tim Patrick, the Broncos’ offense is hoping to look different than they did in 2022 with a similar roster. Payton intends to keep Sutton and Jeudy around.

Broncos Pursued Adam Thielen, Allen Lazard; Jerry Jeudy Still Drawing Trade Interest

March 26th, 2023 at 7:39am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 26: Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required) reiterates earlier reports that the Broncos are seeking a first-round pick in a Jeudy trade, with Troy Renck of Denver 7 tweeting that the club is holding firm on that demand. Doug Kyed of AtoZSports.com hears that Jeudy may be a more realistic trade option than Hopkins, but Denver’s insistence on a first-rounder in exchange for Jeudy could be an indication that the team does not really want to move him.

League sources tell Howe that Denver’s asking price for Sutton remains too high as well, so although the Broncos’ interest in free agent pass catchers does suggest that Payton & Co. are perhaps willing to make some changes to their receiver room, it is clear that a club that wants Jeudy or Sutton is going to need to make an especially aggressive offer.

Indeed, Cabot reports that the Browns never got close to landing Jeudy. Cleveland was prepared to deal the No. 42 overall pick in this year’s draft — the same pick that it used to acquire Elijah Moore from the Jets — but the team would have also needed to include a talented player or another high selection in the 2024 draft, and even that may not have been enough.

MARCH 22: While reports of the Broncos’ plans to keep Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton keep emerging, the again-retooling team’s starting wide receivers continue to come up in trade rumors. Denver’s pursuits of other wide receivers in free agency may provide a hint to Sean Payton‘s plans at the position.

Adam Thielen said the Broncos and Cowboys joined the Panthers in pursuing him in free agency, David Newton of ESPN.com notes, while The Score’s Jordan Schultz adds the team made an aggressive push for Allen Lazard before he signed with the Jets (Twitter link).

As the Broncos potentially helped drive up the prices for Thielen and Lazard, who respectively received $14MM and $22MM fully guaranteed, the subject will shift back to their holdover receivers. Denver rosters a former first-round pick (Jeudy), two outside receivers on veteran deals (Sutton, Tim Patrick) and a second-round deep threat who has battled steady injury problems (KJ Hamler). Given the team’s pursuits of outside help at the position, it can be assumed Payton wants to shake up this position, which has not seen major augmentations since the Jeudy and Hamler selections three years ago.

Count the Browns as a team in on Jeudy. While the Broncos want a first-round pick for Jeudy, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the Browns have not given up on a pursuit despite their lack of a first-round selection this year. The Broncos are not truly keeping Jeudy off the market, Cabot adds, as they are willing to part with the fourth-year receiver for a strong offer.

The Cowboys look to be off the table for Jeudy, after they acquired Brandin Cooks, but teams like the Giants and Patriots have previously looked into the talented pass catcher. While DeAndre Hopkins is willing to rework his contract, the Cardinals wideout’s through-2024 deal would be more expensive to acquire than Jeudy’s. A modest fifth-year option price can extend Jeudy’s rookie deal through 2024. With some teams still look for receiving help during an offseason that brought an unremarkable free agency crop and looks to feature a lesser group of prospects in the draft, Jeudy’s name will carry value in the weeks leading up to the draft.

The Browns have Amari Cooper tied to his Cowboys-constructed $20MM-per-year deal. Although the team restructured Cooper’s contract last year, his cap numbers sit at $23.8MM in 2023 and ’24. The team also restructured Deshaun Watson‘s deal, ballooning his 2024-26 cap numbers to record-obliterating figures while dropping his 2023 hit to $19.1MM. The Browns hold just more than $10MM in cap space. Jeudy would fit alongside Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones in Cleveland; the latter is going into a contract year but produced his best season in 2022.

Denver’s wideouts have yet to put it together. Quarterback play, injuries and last year’s disjointed offense have played a major role in Jeudy and Sutton’s inconsistency. But the team’s pursuits of Thielen and Lazard will not quiet the rumblings that either Jeudy or Sutton could be on the move ahead of the draft. Sutton and Patrick’s skillsets overlap, and Thielen and Lazard also qualify as possession targets. Jeudy’s route-running chops and elusiveness differ from both the incumbent targets and the recent free agents, but at 23, he would fetch the Broncos the best haul.

The Broncos, they of no first- or second-round pick this year, continue to be faced with a choice of retaining a promising wide receiver — one who would stand to move the needle as Payton attempts to reignite Russell Wilson — or moving on in exchange for vital 2023 draft capital.

Teams Remain Interested In Jerry Jeudy; Broncos Seeking First-Round Pick For WR

March 17th, 2023 at 1:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 17: While teams’ interest could reach the point of an offer the Broncos cannot refuse, the team does not want to move either Jeudy or Sutton. Denver prefers to move forward with both starters, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Optimism exists Payton will unlock some of the long-held potential of both Sutton and Jeudy, per Klis, who notes the team has hope Sutton — now more than two years removed from his September 2020 ACL tear — will return to his pre-injury form. Sutton is due a $14MM base salary in 2023.

MARCH 15: As they did before the 2022 trade deadline, the Broncos are receiving calls on Jerry Jeudy. The team has thus far shut down interest in the ascending wide receiver, but a price point has emerged that could convince the franchise to sell high.

The Broncos would want a first-round pick for the fourth-year receiver, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports (on Twitter). Jeudy can be controlled on his rookie contract through 2024, with his fifth-year option call due by May. That seems likely to be exercised — by the Broncos or another team — given Jeudy’s talent.

Denver resisted interest in Jeudy last year, and it made sense for the Broncos to regroup and prepare for the former first-round pick to be part of a better offense in 2023. But neither Sean Payton nor George Paton was in place when the Broncos drafted Jeudy. While the Alabama product profiles as Denver’s top receiver, the team does not have first- or second-round picks in this year’s draft — due to the Payton and Russell Wilson trades. Using Jeudy or Courtland Sutton would be a way for the franchise to add a pick or multiple selections in this year’s draft.

A recent report indicated teams have called the Broncos on Sutton and Jeudy, but the team has thus far passed on trade overtures toward the John Elway-era investments. Both players are on affordable contracts, with Sutton signed through 2025 on a $15MM-per-year accord he signed during the 2021 season. With the Bengals and Chargers taking Tee Higgins and Keenan Allen off the market, respectively, teams seeing if they can pry one of the Broncos’ starters away — in exchange for much-needed draft capital — makes sense.

Then again, the Broncos gave Wilson a $49MM-per-year extension before last season and are still banking on the former Seahawks star re-emerging from a shockingly mediocre 2022 season. Dealing away Jeudy, 23, would stand to hinder Wilson’s rebound effort. Sutton would seem to make more sense as a trade chip, though he would be unlikely to fetch as much. He is entering his age-28 season. But the team has a similar player in Tim Patrick, an outside receiver tied to a $10MM-per-year contract. Patrick has not come up in trade rumors, having missed last season with an ACL tear.

The Cowboys and Giants were among the teams to contact the Broncos on Jeudy before the deadline last year; Dallas made an offer. Both teams are still believed to be looking for receiver help. The Broncos have upped their asking price compared to last year, when a report pegged the team as seeking a second-round pick. Given this modest free agent receiver class and only veterans DeAndre Hopkins and Brandin Cooks viewed as available via trade, Denver is asking for more now. Following those trade rumors, Jeudy finished the 2022 season with a career-high 972 receiving yards to lead the Broncos. This did not move the needle much, however, as Denver’s Nathaniel Hackett-directed offense ranked last in scoring.

In New Orleans, Payton prioritized multiple receivers — Marques Colston, Michael Thomas — but reached agreements to trade two complementary talents (Cooks, Kenny Stills) as well. The Broncos, as the Saints are known to do, are investing heavily along their offensive line. The team reached agreements with Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers this week, and the team will likely consider a Quinn Meinerz extension next year. Considering Jeudy’s age, the Broncos will face a pivotal decision on the state of their receiving corps soon.

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