Report: Broncos Unlikely to Trade Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton; Teams 'Aggressive'

Despite taking calls on their top two wide receivers this offseason, the Denver Broncos appear likely to keep Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton.

Per Mike Klis of 9News, the Broncos don't appear to be interested in trading either player despite other teams being "aggressive" in their pursuit.

Klis noted there is "optimism" from the football side of the Broncos' operation that Jeudy and Sutton will thrive in Sean Payton's offense.

ESPN's Dianna Russini reported last week multiple teams called the Broncos to inquire about both players, but they weren't shopping either of them.

Coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine, NBC Sports' Matthew Berry reported on March 6 the Broncos were "quietly shopping Sutton" to teams. The 27-year-old posted a tweet that appeared to be in response to the trade speculation:

The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported on Wednesday that Jeudy was a "hot name" in trade conversations, with the Broncos seeking a first-round pick in return for the former Alabama standout.

Payton's arrival combined with how aggressive the Broncos have been in free agency, particularly on offense, suggests they are trying to build an infrastructure around Russell Wilson to take some of the pressure off him going into 2023.

Jeudy and Sutton were, by far, Wilson's favorite targets last season. They were the only Broncos players with more than 60 targets, 40 receptions and 500 receiving yards. Jeudy led the team with 972 yards and six touchdowns.

The Broncos are also going to get Tim Patrick back. He missed all of last season after tearing his ACL during a preseason practice. The 29-year-old had more than 700 yards in 2020 and 2021 with 11 combined touchdowns during that two-season span.

As long as last season was more of an outlier for Wilson instead of an indication of the type of player he is at this stage of his career, the Broncos should be much better on offense.

Payton's got a long track record of success as an offensive play-caller. There are enough high-quality players already on the Broncos roster for him to maximize the offense in 2023, especially if Jeudy and Sutton stay.