The Denver Broncos have built a receiver room with real depth under Sean Payton, and that kind of strength can sometimes create a strange kind of problem: a quality veteran becomes the name that other teams start circling.
That’s the lane ESPN’s Ben Solak took on September 29, when he floated the Los Angeles Rams as a possible landing spot for Courtland Sutton after Denver’s Week 3 win over Los Angeles. Solak pointed to the Rams’ willingness to spend draft capital and argued they still had room for one more move, especially at pass catcher.
“Despite the fact that the Rams traded almost an entire year’s worth of picks for two players, they’re still in a position at which one more trade makes sense: specifically, for a pass catcher,” Solak wrote on September 29. “Could Courtland Sutton be available from the Broncos, who are moving to a bigger diet of Jaylen Waddle and Pat Bryant?”
Sutton would make sense for that kind of call. He has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2024 and 2025, and that kind of production is exactly what gives a team leverage in a trade discussion. Solak’s read is that Los Angeles needs “a steady producer who can eat volume if needed.”
Denver’s side of the equation is where things get tricky. The Broncos have kept adding around quarterback Bo Nix, and the mix now includes Jaylen Waddle, rookie Pat Bryant and third-year receiver Troy Franklin. That gives Payton more ways to build the offense, but it also means Sutton is no longer the only obvious answer when Denver lines up at receiver.
Even with that crowded picture, Sutton has stayed one of the Broncos’ most important weapons. He remains a trusted target and has continued to produce at a high level over the last two regular seasons. But the depth around him makes the idea of a deal at least plausible, even if it is only a possibility for now.
The conversation also sits against the backdrop of Denver’s playoff exit. Sutton caught seven passes for 70 yards across two playoff games last season, including three catches for 17 yards in the AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots. After that defeat, Payton overhauled his offensive staff, firing offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and wide receivers coach Keary Colbert, then promoting Davis Webb to offensive coordinator and taking over playcalling himself for the first time in his career.
Payton also made clear where some of his frustration landed. “We didn’t finish some runs, and we dropped some passes. Again, felt like that was a problem all year,” Payton said.
For now, Sutton is still part of the Broncos’ offense. But with Denver’s receiver room getting deeper and the Rams looking for another reliable target, Solak’s idea puts a spotlight on a real question: could the Broncos eventually decide their veteran wideout is the piece they’re willing to move?
In Other News...
Matthew Stafford Sparked A Broncos Debate With His Tunnel Exit
A postgame video from Empower Field gave Broncos fans something else to talk about after the win over the Rams, and it had nothing to do with the scoreboard. Matthew Stafford was seen walking through the tunnel and appearing to spit, with some viewers wondering whether it was aimed at Denvers 5280 sign, though there was no clear evidence or official confirmation of where it landed.
Stafford had just put together a big passing night in the loss, throwing for 390 yards and two touchdowns, but he also turned it over twice. For Denver, the on-field result was the headline, yet the tunnel clip added a little extra edge to a game that was already going to be picked over from every angle. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Broncos, the larger takeaway is that Bryant was productive beyond that one controversial snap. He caught multiple passes and scored a touchdown, giving Denver another useful piece in a game that swung on a handful of high-leverage plays. Still, the late flag is the kind of moment that tends to linger, especially when it directly helped set up the comeback finish. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Just Found A Huge AFC West Opportunity
The early part of the AFC West has already handed Denver a chance to breathe a little easier. The Chargers are off to an 0-3 start, and the issues have shown up on both sides of the ball, with the offense sputtering and the defense unable to steady things. For a Broncos team trying to keep pace in a rugged division, that kind of stumble in Los Angeles matters.
Justin Herbert has drawn criticism for some of his decision-making, while Jim Harbaugh has been publicly supportive and demanding at the same time, trying to push more from his quarterback and the team around him. There have also been signs of friction inside the locker room, with Derwin James calling out the sloppiness. Denver does not need a rival collapse to be perfect, but this is the sort of early opening contenders watch closely. [Read more 🡒]