Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton Can Be NFL's Second-Half Breakout Star

Tuesday's Demaryius Thomas trade paved the way for Courtland Sutton's inevitable breakout as the Denver Broncos' No. 1 wide receiver. 

The previous statement isn't meant as a slight to anything Thomas accomplished during his eight-plus seasons in the Mile High City or Emmanuel Sanders' continued outstanding play. Instead, it serves as an endorsement for an emerging talent ready to take the NFL by storm. 

"We thought that this would give Courtland a chance to get out there, play more and become a bigger part of it because we think he's ready to go," general manager and president of football operations John Elway said after sending Thomas and a 2019 seventh-round draft pick to the Houston Texans for a fourth- and seventh-round selection, per the Denver Post's Kyle Fredrickson. "He's played well up to this point in time. Hopefully, this accelerates his maturity."

In order to better understand the lengths to which the rookie can ultimately go, recent history provides an indication of his long-term potential. 

Sutton turned into a draft-day steal when he fell to the second round, where the Broncos used the 40th overall pick to land the gifted wide receiver. The SMU product displayed the necessary physical traits accompanied by the requisite production to command a first-round draft selection as the class' top prospect at his position. 

Yet, as scouts and front offices often do during the predraft process, a top talent began to be torn down and marginalized. Paralysis by analysis occurred as a result. 

"He's got such a big body, and knows how to use it, that he's going to be a problem in the red zone, on the back-shoulder throws, and obviously on jump balls," an AFC scout told NFL.com's Chase Goodbread in January. "If he's not one of the first two or three receivers picked, I'll be surprised."

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Sutton became the third wide receiver taken in April's draft behind D.J. Moore and Calvin Ridley. 

Instead of seeing what Sutton presented—a 6'3", 218-pound target with a knack for deep routes, the ability to consistently win 50-50 balls, a penchant for creating yards after the catch and the body control of a much smaller receiver—perceived negatives worked their way to the forefront and caused him to slide. 

Of course, a couple of legitimate concerns required acknowledgment. The sizable receiver won't be confused for a sudden or complete route-runner.

"He's got to get quicker and learn to separate or he's going to be wearing coverage around the field," an NFC team regional scout told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein prior to the draft. "He's very mentally and physically tough so I think he'll get it figured out."

Even those slights were overblown. Sutton ran a 4.54-second 40-yard dash at February's NFL combine—a respectable time for a receiver of his size—and reached a top speed of 21.57 mph during his collegiate career, according to Goodbread. Only four individuals have registered faster times this NFL season.

The aforementioned positives in his skill set tend to offset any deficiencies. Plus, the Broncos haven't needed the first-year target to be someone he's not. 

Ironically, Sutton invoked predraft comparisons to Thomas based on their comparable size and less-than-flashy approach. This shouldn't be construed as a negative since Thomas will be difficult to replace, as The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala noted: 

At 30 years old, Thomas is still productive, hence why teams took notice when the Texans landed his services. Sanders has been the Broncos' favored target this season with 50 receptions for 660 yards, but he provides a completely different dynamic to the scheme since he works mostly out of the slot and can't win the physical battles Thomas did and Sutton can. 

Since the start of the 2016 campaign, Thomas ranks third overall behind the Arizona Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald and Atlanta Falcons' Julio Jones with 41 tight-window receptions, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. 

Thomas isn't quite the deep threat he was earlier in his career, though. Sutton can be the big-bodied option the Broncos need to not only make the tough catches but take the top off of defenses as well. He's already shown the ability to do so, as seen in the clip below from Mile High Report's Joe Rowles: 

The rookie ranks third overall with an average of 19.1 yards per catch on his 17 receptions. Currently, five different first-year receivers have more receptions. However, his output should drastically increase in the coming weeks. 

Sanders will get his, of course. Broncos quarterbacks, meanwhile, targeted Thomas 56 times through the first eight weeks. Sutton won't inherit all of these newfound opportunities, as DaeSean Hamilton and Tim Patrick should also expect more playing time. 

"You never know," Elway said, per ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold. " ... Personally, I think the young guys are ready to step up behind him and fill that void. So with that, as well as the value we got, we felt that it was important to make a move."

Furthermore, this was a move the organization had to make not only because of its belief in Sutton but because it knew there was value in shedding an aging veteran with an exorbitant contract. 

"We're going to lose a little bit," Elway added. "But where we can make it up is with the youth, the young guys and getting them experience as this year continues to go. I didn't think that [the trade] eliminated our ability to compete and hopefully have a better second half than we've had in the first half and win some football games."

The trade didn't eliminate anything. Instead, it opened the door of possibilities for both the short and long terms. 

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Sutton already flashed enough to justify any move. His production will assuredly increase. His skill set makes him difficult to cover. The Broncos' pedestrian quarterback play is the only thing that could hold him back. Denver likes to push the ball downfield as a complement to its seventh-ranked ground game, but Case Keenum is a below-average deep-ball passer. He doesn't have the arm to make up for inconsistent ball placement and timing. 

So, the first-year receiver's ability to track and adjust to the football—poorly placed throws in particular—will be a vital component and makes him even more valuable. 

The Broncos saw Sutton's promise, especially as the system's X-receiver, and chose to make a move sooner rather than later. It was the right move, because he'll grow into the position with the potential to become an elite target. 

"I'm definitely getting better each week," Sutton said, per Fredrickson. "There is always something to learn at this level and the game changes so much series-to-series. I'm just trying to make sure I'm continuing to get better each week and each day so that I can continue to make the best version of myself for this offense."

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @brentsobleski.