DENVER — Courtland Sutton is back in town.
His lease was up in Florida, where he had been working out and rehabbing from his end-of-last-season ankle surgery. There is a Home Run Derby for charity at Coors Field on Wednesday he will participate in, along with other Broncos players. As he has been in recent years.
Sutton’s presence would also seem to increase the chances of the Broncos’ top receiver reporting to mandatory minicamp that will be held Tuesday through Thursday, although a source close to his situation says that decision has not yet been made.
Sutton, who tied for fourth in the NFL with 10 touchdown catches last year, has stayed away from the Broncos’ voluntary offseason program the past two months in hopes the team would rework his contract.
“Well, it’s not that he doesn’t like our new uniforms,’’ joked head coach Sean Payton.
Sutton is one of 10 Broncos players who have signed up to participate in the UCHealth Healthy Swings Home Run Derby. The other Broncos: Left tackle Garett Bolles, outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, kicker Wil Lutz, cornerback Damarri Mathis, running back Jaleel McLaughlin, defensive linemen Malcolm Roach and Matt Henningsen, quarterback Jarrett Stidham and tight end Adam Trautman.
The Home Run Derby, which is scheduled to run from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, will benefit Next Chapter, a suicide prevention and wellness program for Colorado veterans.
For every hit, UCHealth will make a donation ranging from $50 to $5,000.
Sutton is promoting the event Thursday afternoon on a DNVR podcast.
The Broncos’ players will be running over to Coors Field following their minicamp practice that day. Will Sutton also be driving over from the Broncos’ facility?
Payton believes so.
“Yes, I think he’ll be here for minicamp,’’ Payton said. “I mean, it’s mandatory. When I’ve been asked about Courtland, I just know his work ethic. I know the player. There’s a list of things that race through your mind this time in the offseason as a head coach. And respectfully when I say this to him, because he and I have talked, I think that will work itself out. I think he’ll be here, yes, but I don’t know that for sure.”
Players who skip the three-day mandatory minicamp are fined $16,953 the first day, $33,908 the second day and $50,855 the third day for a total of $110,716. Sutton is due to make $13 million this year — roughly 30th among NFL recerivers — and $13.5 million in 2025. Only $2 million of that money is guaranteed.
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