Courtland Sutton is on the verge of joining a Broncos receiving landmark Sunday, and the matchup gives the moment a neat twist.
Sutton needs one catch against the San Francisco 49ers to tie Ed McCaffrey for fifth place in franchise history with 462 receptions, according to Sports Illustrated. If he gets two, he would pass McCaffrey outright and move into sole possession of fifth.
The wrinkle, of course, is who will be across from him. McCaffrey’s son, Christian McCaffrey, is a star running back for the 49ers.
Sutton enters the game with 461 catches, 6,439 receiving yards and 39 touchdowns in nine seasons with Denver. The Broncos’ all-time receiving leaderboard still has plenty of distance ahead of him, with Rod Smith leading the way at 849 receptions, followed by Shannon Sharpe at 675 and Demaryius Thomas at 665. Lionel Taylor sits just ahead of Sutton for the next spot on the list with 543.
The veteran wideout hasn’t piled up his usual numbers through the first three games, posting eight receptions for 82 yards and no touchdowns. But he was more active in Denver’s 30-26 comeback win over the Los Angeles Rams, when he caught three passes for a season-high 46 yards.
That kind of involvement could matter again Sunday. Denver is 2-1 after back-to-back comeback wins and now faces an undefeated San Francisco team that is 3-0, so the Broncos are heading into another early-season test.
Sutton isn’t the only Bronco with a milestone in reach. Bo Nix needs 123 passing yards to tie Kyle Orton for seventh in franchise history.
Nik Bonitto is two sacks away from 40 for his career. Zach Allen can become the first Broncos defensive lineman since Derek Wolfe in 2016 to open a season with four sacks through the first four games.
Still, Sutton’s chase stands out from the rest. His next catch could put him next to one of the most productive receivers in Broncos history, and it would happen with Ed McCaffrey’s son on the other sideline.
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