The Denver Broncos have had a lot of players come and go at the wide receiver position over the past decade, but one of the constants has been Courtland Sutton. Drafted in the second round out of Southern Methodist University in the 2018 NFL Draft, the former Mustangs standout has been one of the franchise’s most reliable players in that timeframe.
Sutton has started 98 games for the Broncos and appeared in 115 games since being selected. Through eight seasons of play (seven if you erase his 2020
campaign due to an ACL tear), Denver’s ‘X’ has caught 453 passes for 6,357 yards, and 39 touchdowns. On top of that, nearly 70-percent of his career receptions have resulted in moving the chains.
Last season, Sutton put together a Pro-Bowl year hauling in 74 receptions for 1,017 yards and 7 touchdowns. An eye-popping 52 of those receptions resulted in a first down. Without question, he was easily the most reliable receiving option for the Broncos’ offense. However, he had eight drops and sported a catch-rate below 60-percent—two areas he needs to improve upon this season for Denver’s offense to take their efficiency to the next level.
Player Profile
Age: 30 | Experience: Ninth Year | College: SMU | Height: 6’4” | Weight: 216 pounds
Arm Length: 32-3/8” | Hand Size: 9-3/4” | Broad: 10’6” | Vertical: 35” | Bench: 18 reps
40-yard dash: 4.54 seconds | Shuttle: N/A | 3-Cone: 6.57 seconds
Courtland Sutton’s 2026 outlook with the Broncos
At the age of 30 years old, Sutton is entering the twilight stage of his career. Last season, Sutton played 975 offensive snaps for the Broncos—the most ever for the ninth-year pro. He has been a productive receiver for the franchise and is the second longest tenured player on the squad. With another quality season, he will cement his status as a Top 5 receiver in franchise history in most statistical categories.
Sutton will once again man down the ‘X’ position in the Broncos’ offense in ‘26. A reason for optimism that he can perform even better is the addition of Jaylen Waddle. Waddle’s presence in the offense should help open up things for him and provide more one-on-one opportunities this season.
As mentioned earlier, I’d like to see an increased efficiency in catch-rate and an improvement with respect to drops. While the highlight reel grabs and touchdowns as impressive, operating below a 60-percent catch-rate as a top target for the team is well below average compared to other starting receivers in the NFL. Even modest improvement in that area should see his production increase quite a bit.
At the very least, Sutton will continue to be a major presence in the red zone and as a chain-mover on third downs for the franchise. Those have been valuable mainstays for him throughout his career. Though if he improves in the aforementioned areas of concern, his ninth season in the NFL has the potential to be his best yet.
Final Thoughts
Sutton will be the team’s ‘X’ receiver once again in 2026, but his future beyond that is uncertain. While he recently signed an extension last offseason, his salary cap figure in 2027 jumps significantly to the tune of nearly $28.5 million. It’s hard to envision a scenario where the Broncos opt to keep him at that number after this season.
Over the next few years, the franchise will have to make some serious moves in order to accommodate a future Bo Nix extension. That will be a significant financial investment which could very well wind up being an NFL record-breaker at the position. I’m a strong believer in Sutton performing well this year. However, I question whether or not his production will merit such a high salary cap figure in the final remaining years of his deal.
Perhaps a restructure of some sorts may help keep him around. I’d love to see him remain a Bronco for the rest of his career. Truth be told, Denver doesn’t really have another receiver on the roster capable of taking over for him just yet, unless you believe in Pat Bryant’s ability to do so. How things pan out with Sutton this year and beyond is certainly one of the bigger storylines to watch unfold.
