Courtland Sutton had a breakout season with the Denver Broncos in 2019, earning a Pro Bowl nod after catching 72 passes for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns. All of those totals represented career highs.
Sutton then tore his ACL in 2020 and he has since struggled to return to that 2019 form. Last year, the 27-year-old receiver totaled 64 receptions for 829 yards and two touchdowns. Respectable numbers, but not the kind of numbers he posted as a second-year pro in 2019.
Broncos coach Sean Payton said last week that he’s reviewed film of Sutton’s entire career, and he’s seen flashes of the “2019” Sutton this summer.
“I feel like he’s transitioning well,” Payton said of Sutton on Aug. 3. “I think he’s running well. I feel his strength. We watched a number of seasons on a few of these players. If you just watch one season, you might have a set opinion.
“When we watched him in 2019, for instance, it was really impressive. We talked to him about some of the things we saw him do. Fortunately, we’ve seen some of that in this camp, so we’ll keep going.”
Sutton (6-4, 216 pounds) has the size to make contested catches, an ability that could prove to be valuable in Payton’s offense this season.
“It’s a good trait,” Payton said. “I like his size. We kind of favor bigger receivers, so he fits that prototype, or that type that we like.”
Denver received trade interest in Sutton this spring, but Payton chose to keep the receiver rather than acquire more draft picks. That’s a sign that the coach sees potential for a key role for Sutton going forward.
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