ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Courtland Sutton seems happy. He walks out to the practice field early each morning. He hustles with the rest of the receivers, catching passes at full speed, then running the ball all the way to the end zone on a team drill.
He smiles a lot.
That Sutton seems content may surprise Broncos fans who followed his offseason contract ordeal. His unofficial holdout didn’t go as planned. The Broncos didn’t give him a raise or increase his guarantee. They did sprinkle in a $1.7 million incentive package that is tied to team offensive improvement coupled with his own production.
And while these are technically classified as “difficult to earn” incentives, Sutton is an optimistic sort who believes in his team and bets on himself.
While it’s much more contentious between the 49ers and No. 2 receiver Brandon Aiyuk and the Cowboys and No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb, Sutton reached a more amicable conclusion with the Broncos.
“Yes, 1,000%,’’ Sutton said in a sit-down interview this week with 9NEWS. “When I talked to you guys (the media) when I came back during minicamp, I was sincere when I said I miss being around the guys. I love this game so much. I love the opportunity I’ve been blessed to have to play in the NFL for an amazing organization like the Broncos.
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“To be able to get to a conclusion and get things situated in a sense, it was amazing to get that done and then not miss these valuable days (in training camp). We’ve had (three) really good weeks of work. Watching the guys work together and offense pushing defense and vice versa and seeing all the young guys go out there and compete as well.
“So it was important for me to get things situated so that I didn’t miss these days. These days are valuable. These are the days that are going to get us to where we want to be.’’
Sutton hit on something. The Broncos have gone a septennial without a winning season and yet the players seemingly never want to leave. Most of them, when the season finale draws near and their contracts are about up, let it be known they’d like to return. Justin Simmons didn’t want to leave. Josey Jewell preferred to stay. Even Russell Wilson made a last-minute desperate plea to remain a Bronco.
OK, so maybe Jerry Jeudy wanted out.
“No, Jeud loved it here, man,’’ Sutton said, chuckling at the awkward suggestion regarding his four-year receiver mate.
OK, fine. The point is, the Broncos haven’t been to the postseason since rookie running back Audric Estime was 12 years old and yet players seemingly feel lucky to be playing for the Denver organization.
“There’s a collection of things about the organization,’’ Sutton said. “I think one, the history has roots that run so deep that we know this organization has a winning tradition. We know we have the ability to get to a place where people see Denver Broncos on their schedule, and they know they’re going to be in a fight. And they know we’re a team and an organization that is about winning. We’re not a team that’s about just showing up and being there and being happy we’re an NFL team. No, our roots are built into winning.
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“The things that were done in Mr. Elway’s era and even before he had got here and then when Mr. Manning was here and all the guys that played with them, being part of that Super Bowl 50 team, those teams did something for this organization that we are reaping the benefit of. We have been handed a torch that’s on us to carry.
“Whether guys are new here or not, guys have heard about the Denver Broncos since they were young kids. Everyone has seen the blue and orange and seen the Broncos logo and understood that team is about winning.
“Yes, the past few years haven’t been what we wanted. I’ve touched on it since I’ve been here, our main goal is getting back to that winning tradition. Whether it’s getting to … no, not even going to say that. The baseline isn’t just getting into the playoffs. Our baseline is getting back to becoming a Super Bowl-caliber team that is winning the AFC West and competing with the Chiefs who have been holding down the throne for a while.
“Our main focus is getting back to that space. And I think that the team we have now, the way the guys have been working, I think the guys we have in the locker room, everyone has a one track mind of getting back into that space.”
VIDEO ABOVE: Stidham named starting QB for Broncos' opener
Other topics Sutton addressed in his interview with 9NEWS prior to the Broncos preseason opener Sunday at Indianapolis (kickoff 11 a.m. MDT, KTVD Channel 20):
Red zone efficiency
Sutton was a Pro Bowl receiver in 2019 when he had more than 70 catches and 1,100 yards.
Four years later, in 2023, Sutton wasn’t so much a receiver as a power forward posting up in the paint. Only he was in the red zone, fighting off defenders to snag Russell Wilson’s 50-50 balls for touchdowns.
“When I first got here, guys saw me as just a ‘Go-ball’ guy,’’ said Sutton, a second-round draft pick out of SMU in 2018. “And over the years I’ve been able to maximize each phase of the receiver position. Becoming more of a route runner. Becoming a route technician. Being able to play inside the hashes and outside the hashes.
“Last year being able to score touchdowns in the red zone. There’s more there. I firmly believe there’s more that’s there. Ten was nice but I know I have more in my tank.”
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Sutton did catch 10 touchdowns last year which was tied for the fourth most in the NFL. He was especially prolific working in the tight-coverage red-zone area as eight of his touchdowns came from plays that originated inside the 20, tying him with Lamb and Lions’ tight end Sam LaPorta for the NFL most.
Besides remarkably strong hands that help him prevail in contested situations, how does Sutton explain his red-zone success?
“I think it’s a few things. Understanding concepts of what defenses are trying to do to us,’’ Sutton said. “Understand and taking as much learning into coach (Sean) Payton’s system. Coach Payton has an amazing system and I’m sure from you guys talking to him you know he is a student, master, philosopher of the game of football. And when it comes to putting pass game concepts together he takes his time and puts due diligence into it. And the red zone is a space he takes really serious and he understands the value of when we get inside that 20 yard line it’s time for us to get points. It’s not just three points but we’ve got to score touchdowns.
“I always joke with the receivers and the offense by saying, ‘This is where we make our money.’ The big plays in the middle of the field are always nice but the fans come to see the touchdowns. Touchdowns are what’s going to win us games and when we get inside that 20 yard line we have to find a way to get into the end zone. When the ball goes up, I’m trying to make a play and that’s something I try to hold true and goes into becoming a complete receiver.”
His offseason ankle surgery
He doesn’t seem to be showing any ill effects, especially during practice Wednesday when he caught back-to-back, 17- to 23-yard in-cut routes from rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
“Man, it feels good,’’ Sutton said. “I went down there (to Florida), working my butt off trying to get back to where I wanted to be. And man it’s been really fun running around, feeling good. Body feels good. Got it cleaned out a little bit and yeah, try to make some plays. Trying to put it together.”
A synopsis of each of the Broncos’ three quarterbacks, Jarrett Stidham, Nix and Zach Wilson
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First, Stidham
“Jarrett’s a guy who was able to see a lot over the course of his career so far. Being in New England, he was able to learn and watch a lot of film on a guy (Tom Brady) who is arguably — not arguably — but a guy who is going to go down as the best player. Not just the best quarterback, but the best player.
“Being around Tom definitely helped him. So his knowledge of his game and the way he attacks each day and each rep, you can see him making those steps of what we’re looking for in a veteran quarterback.
“Guys that see what’s happening with the defense, guys that make checks at the line and put guys in the right position to go make plays. He makes the throws he needs to make and he minimizes his mistakes and I think that makes him a really good quarterback.”
Nix
“He’s a young guy with a lot of reps that he got in college. People look at the age of these guys coming out of college and look at it in a certain way (Nix is older than most rookies at 24) but the way I look at it is you can’t simulate in-game reps.
“Yes, the speed and athleticism of the NFL is different from college but being able to get full in-game reps is really hard to simulate in practice. For him to have all those games under his belt coming into the league he’s a very mature and knowledgeable quarterback for a rookie.
“And you can see it. He goes out here and plays the game at a level you wouldn’t expect from a rookie. It’s been fun to watch him. He’s been growing every day, maximizing his reps and I think he has a very, very bright future.”
Zach Wilson
“I actually was talking to Zach a few days ago and I told him, ‘I don’t know what happened in New York. I don’t really care what happened in New York: You can play football.’
“The guy can throw the ball around. I mean he’s a lot more talented than people give him credit for. He gets a bad rap for the way people viewed him from what he did in New York. But I’ve told him just from what I’ve seen with my own two eyes, he’s a quarterback that can play this game and he can play at a high level. I look forward to seeing what he has in his future and watch him compete out here.’’
The Olympics
Sutton watched the Olympics as much as he could squeeze in after those long days of camp. Anything in particular happen that had him talking with the guys in the locker room the next day?
“I think the biggest thing so far — obviously Simone has been killing it,’’ Sutton said of the gymnast Biles. “Watching her win gold medal after gold medal after gold medal (individual all-around, team all-around, vault) has been amazing.
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“(Swimmer) Katie Ledecky of course. I mean watching her sit on the wall waiting for everybody else finish the race as she won gold, I think that was cool to see.
“And then watching the men’s 400 finals. Quincy (Hall), we’re watching it, and he’s coming in the last 150 meters and we’re like, ‘He has to kick.’ And to see that dude battle that last 100 meters, I mean, I feel like if everybody took that philosophy in life you’d know it’s never over till its over. The dude went out there and battled, He was like in fourth place and he just found another gear and he tapped into it.
“You can always achieve greatness no matter where you are in the race. It was fun watching him get that last kick. I ran the 400 in high school and to see him go and do that you’ve got to have a different level of kick. He went and did it, he got a gold for USA.’’
If Sutton were an Olympian, what would he be?
Let’s say Sutton’s dream was not the NFL but Olympic gold. What Olympic sport would he direct his training and focus?
“That’s a tough one. … Men’s volleyball,’’ he said. “I think if I would have actually focused on it and took some time to lock in, I think I could have been a pretty good volleyball player.”
Put him on the net.
“Put me on the net. Get some blocks in there. Tuck your chin.”
He laughed at that one. He left the interview smiling. Courtland Sutton is happy.