ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Try this one more time.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Denver Broncos are entering a season with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler as their four-man receiving core. That’s right, the fourth year in a row.
Marvin Mims Jr., the last of the NFL’s second-round rookies, is breaking into the Broncos’ receiving group this year, just as DaeSean Hamilton and Kendall Hinton did in previous years.
To date, it has not gone as planned.
Sutton played one half of one game in 2020 because of an ACL. Tim Patrick played zero minutes in 2022 because of an ACL. Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler, the Twin Amigos from the 2020 draft, have yet to have a full season worthy of first- and second-round expectations. For different reasons. Jeudy didn’t hit his stride until the final six games of his third season. Hamler has been snakebitten with injuries.
But wait til this year.
“I want to start off the season just how I finished it,’’ Jeudy said last week.
“We haven’t showcased the talent we have on our team,’’ Sutton said. “We haven’t showcased and put forth all the things we’re able to do. Everybody’s taking this as another opportunity to put forth what the Denver Broncos stand for.”
Either Jeudy or Sutton should have a robust season this year. Wouldn’t it be something if both do? For the first time, they have the same quarterback in back-to-back years in Russell Wilson.
Jeudy came on big after an ankle injury last year, compiling 37 catches for 523 yards over the final six weeks – which prorates to 105 catches and 1,482 yards over a 17-game season.
“I’ll just say I was getting put in a good position,’’ Jeudy said. “Everything was just getting executed right. Everybody was doing their job at the time. When it comes to football, there’s a lot of things that the fans and other people don’t see like with the line blocking or the quarterback making a different read and I just feel like everything was in sync and that’s what caused the success in the last couple games.”
Sutton was a Pro Bowler in 2019 when he had 72 catches for 1,112 yards. He was the master of the one-on-one, 50-50 jump balls. Then came the ACL injury in 2020. Sutton has gradually rebounded since then but has yet to climb all the way back to his Pro Bowl self. He had 58 catches for 776 yards in 2021 and 64 catches for 829 yards in 2022.
Patrick had back-to-back, 50-catch, 700-yard seasons in 2020 and 2021 but tore his ACL in training camp last year. He returned in the final offseason week of minicamp to participate in 11 on 11 team drills.
“Me out there feels good,’’ Patrick said last week. “I think the thing that will get me back in sync is – I think right now I’m so tunnel vision to make sure I’m doing the right thing and learning a new offense. I’m just tunnel vision. If you ever played Madden when your QB is on you see the whole field. When he’s off, it’s small. Right now mine is small. I’m going to still make plays but I’m not seeing the whole field.”
Hamler is small but fast and strong. And unlucky. He had major knee and hip surgeries last year, plus an admitted bout with depression during the recovery phase. He had groin and hamstring injuries last season and then suffered a torn pec while working out early in the offseason.
Hamler averaged an incredible 23.6 yards per catch last year as his deep-ball speed meshes perfectly with Wilson’s desire to chuck it deep. The problem is Hamler only had seven catches. He’s played in just 10 games the past two seasons. Do the Broncos keep him and double up on speed with Mims? Or was Mims drafted to take Hamler’s place? Training camp and the preseason may provide the answer.
Either way, Hamler has his friends pulling for him. Patrick even had Hamler move in with him.
“We’ve got a routine right now – that’s one of the things I’ve been preaching to him is get a routine,’’ Patrick said. “The same thing every day. Don’t get bored with it because that’s what’s going to get you far and that’s what we’re working on right now. We’re holding each other accountable and that’s one of the stuff that’s going to make us healthy and a better version of ourselves this season."
“It was my decision (to have Hamler move in). I just know how talented he is and how good he is and how bad he wants to be on the field. I just felt like I’m a good routine guy and I wanted him to get on my routine to help him achieve the goals that he wants to achieve. I just felt like if we both got on the same routine we could help each other out.”
Perhaps, the fourth year will be the breakout year for the Broncos’ four-man receiving core. If not, there may not be a fifth year.
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