Nothing is imminent for the Broncos’ top wide receiver, who said, via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson, his talks with the team — more than a month after this contract issue became known — are at a stalemate. Sutton’s four-year, $60M contract runs through 2025. Only $2M of the seventh-year veteran’s $13M 2024 base salary is guaranteed.
The 6-foot-4 pass catcher, who underwent offseason ankle surgery, mostly watched during Denver’s first minicamp workout, per 9News’ Mike Klis. Sutton, 28, said, via Tomasson, he gave brief consideration to skipping Denver’s minicamp but remains committed to the team, eyeing a hopeful ring of fame induction down the road. The Broncos drafted Sutton in the second round, and he has produced at points despite the the quarterback inconsistency that has come to define this franchise post-Peyton Manning.
Sutton is believed to be angling for a raise, and while the Broncos accommodated Chris Harris with a pay bump to resolve an issue in the recent past, the latter had proven far more than his former practice adversary has. Harris, who made the 2010s’ All-Decade team, also was going into the final year of his contract when the Broncos gave him a raise back in 2019. Sutton, whose lone 1,000-yard season came that year, having two seasons remaining on his deal complicates matters, as does the fact Sean Payton was not in Denver when the team extended him during the 2021 season.
Denver has resisted trade interest for Sutton, though the team finally gave in on Jerry Jeudy and unloaded the former first-rounder for fifth- and sixth-round picks. The Broncos set a second-round asking price on Sutton last year, and while that was never likely to be met, the team has the SMU alum on a fairly favorable deal considering where the wide receiver market has gone since this deal was finalized. Sutton’s $15M AAV now sits 26th at the position. Jeudy signed a Browns extension that checked in north of Sutton for AAV and included far more guarantees at signing ($41.6M).
Several wide receiver contract situations represent key components during this offseason’s final weeks. Sutton’s may qualify as a second-tier matter, but the Broncos are likely aiming to have him help Bo Nix during the first-rounder’s rookie year. Training camp will represent the next stage of this impasse.