Sean Payton's rebuilding plan in Denver may include an overhaul of the Broncos' receiving corps. The Broncos have had talks with teams about possible trades involving wideouts Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler, according to ESPN. Specifically, the Broncos are seeking at least one first-round pick should they deal Jeudy, according to The Athletic. The report states that Jeudy's name has come up in several recent trade conversations.
While ESPN's report claims that the Broncos are asking for significant returns for any trade involving said players, there is a general thought among NFL teams that at least one of the team's top receivers will be dealt.
Jeudy and Sutton were the Broncos' top-two receivers last season. Jeudy, a former first-round pick, led Denver with 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns. Sutton, a former Pro Bowler and the Broncos' most-tenured wideout, caught 64 passes for 829 yards and two touchdowns during the 2022 season.
Like Jeudy, Hamler was part of the Broncos' 2020 draft class. Injuries limited Hamler, a third-round pick out of Penn State, to just 10 games over the past two seasons after catching 30 passes during his rookie campaign. Hamler missed 13 games after tearing his ACL in 2021, and he missed 10 games last season after injuring his hamstring.
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While Hamler could fetch a late-round pick, the Broncos could possibly receive significant draft capital in the form of either a second or third-round pick exchange for either Sutton or Jeudy. Sutton, who is still only 27 years old, had a 1,100-yard season in 2019 with 34-year-old Joe Flacco, then-rookie Drew Lock and career journeyman Brandon Allen throwing him the ball. Sutton has continued to be a productive player after coming back from a knee injury that sidelined him for nearly all of the 2020 season.
A change of scenery might be exactly what Jeudy needs after a solid but unspectacular run in Denver. The 23-year-old wideout caught 52 passes for 856 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie while battling a case of the drops. After an injury limited him to just 10 games in 2021, Jeudy returned to have the best year of his young career last season. He averaged an impressive 14.5 yards per catch while setting career highs in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions.
Given the nature of the report, it's safe to say the Broncos' receiving corps will look different this season. Should they deal one of their top wideouts, the Broncos will surely look to pick up a receiver during free agency as well as in next month's draft.
