One of the stories that simply will not die this offseason is the idea that Denver is looking to trade Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton. The latest version, despite firm denials from both GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton, is that Denver "isn't hanging up the phone" when called about them. Talk about reaching for a story.
I'm sure the Broncos would love to have a first-round pick in the upcoming draft. But they also need to elevate the league's lowest-scoring offense from a year ago, which Jeudy and Sutton are a big part of. They've got Tim Patrick, coming back from tearing his ACL last August, and little else. The oft-injured KJ Hamler is apparently facing a 4-6 month recovery time after tearing his pectoral working out on his own. Trading Jeudy or Sutton creates an additional need for the team. Anything can happen, but I don't see why it would in this case. Reporters in need of an offseason story is my best guess.
The most recent story I've seen makes light of the fact that the Broncos could land a first-round pick for Jeudy. I'm not sure why. He hasn't had a big year yet, but he hasn't exactly been a disaster, either. Has he been working with Patrick Mahomes?
Selected 15th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jeudy is just 23 years old. He was hurt for a good chunk of what looked like it might be his breakout season in 2021, but has pushed for 1,000 yards in his other two seasons. Drew Lock quarterbacked one of those years, while enough has been said about Russell Wilson's and the offense's mighty struggles a year ago. And yet, Jeudy showed the potential to be what the team was hoping for when it drafted him.
Most notably, in an offense that's been very short on explosiveness, he's been able to get downfield. In the two seasons he's been healthy, he's averaged 16.5 and 14.5 yards per catch. Among all wideouts to catch at least 50 passes in any of the three years Jeudy has been in the league, those are the 7th- and 31st-best averages in that regard. If Denver's investment in its offensive line this offseason and addition of Payton designing the offense pays off in an improved Wilson, Jeudy should have a very good season. I don't see any way trading Jeudy, or Sutton for that matter, would result in an offense the team wants.
| WIDE RECEIVERS AVERAGING 14 YARDS PER CATCH, 2020-2022 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Tgt | No | Rec | Avg | TD |
| 2021 | Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 121 | 77 | 1405 | 18.3 | 6 |
| 2022 | Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 117 | 75 | 1356 | 18.1 | 8 |
| 2020 | DJ Moore, Car. | 118 | 66 | 1193 | 18.1 | 4 |
| 2021 | JaMarr Chase, Cin. | 128 | 81 | 1455 | 18.0 | 13 |
| 2022 | A.J. Brown, Phil. | 145 | 88 | 1496 | 17.0 | 11 |
| 2020 | Will Fuller, Hou. | 75 | 53 | 879 | 16.6 | 8 |
| 2020 | Jerry Jeudy, Den. | 113 | 52 | 856 | 16.5 | 3 |
| 2021 | Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 107 | 73 | 1175 | 16.1 | 8 |
| 2021 | Van Jefferson, LAR | 89 | 50 | 802 | 16.0 | 6 |
| 2020 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | 125 | 88 | 1400 | 15.9 | 7 |
| 2020 | DK Metcalf, Sea. | 129 | 83 | 1303 | 15.7 | 10 |
| 2021 | A.J. Green, Ariz. | 92 | 54 | 848 | 15.7 | 3 |
| 2022 | Terry McLaurin, Was. | 120 | 77 | 1191 | 15.5 | 5 |
| 2022 | George Pickens, Pitt. | 84 | 52 | 801 | 15.4 | 4 |
| 2020 | A.J. Brown, Ten. | 106 | 70 | 1075 | 15.4 | 11 |
| 2020 | Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 143 | 90 | 1374 | 15.3 | 9 |
| 2022 | Davante Adams, L.V. | 180 | 100 | 1516 | 15.2 | 14 |
| 2020 | Corey Davis, Ten. | 92 | 65 | 984 | 15.1 | 5 |
| 2020 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 68 | 51 | 771 | 15.1 | 3 |
| 2021 | Mike Williams, LAC | 129 | 76 | 1146 | 15.1 | 9 |
| 2020 | Darius Slayton, NYG | 96 | 50 | 751 | 15.0 | 3 |
| 2021 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | 167 | 108 | 1616 | 15.0 | 10 |
| 2022 | Amari Cooper, Cle. | 132 | 78 | 1160 | 14.9 | 9 |
| 2021 | Brandon Aiyuk, S.F. | 84 | 56 | 826 | 14.8 | 5 |
| 2021 | Tee Higgins, Cin. | 110 | 74 | 1091 | 14.7 | 6 |
| 2020 | Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 135 | 87 | 1276 | 14.7 | 15 |
| 2022 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 127 | 77 | 1124 | 14.6 | 6 |
| 2021 | Chase Claypool, Pitt. | 105 | 59 | 860 | 14.6 | 2 |
| 2021 | Kendrick Bourne, N.E. | 70 | 55 | 800 | 14.6 | 5 |
| 2020 | Tim Patrick, Den. | 79 | 51 | 742 | 14.6 | 6 |
| 2022 | Jerry Jeudy, Den. | 100 | 67 | 972 | 14.5 | 6 |
| 2022 | Chris Olave, N.O. | 119 | 72 | 1042 | 14.5 | 4 |
| 2020 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 109 | 70 | 1006 | 14.4 | 13 |
| 2022 | Tyreek Hill, Mia. | 170 | 119 | 1710 | 14.4 | 7 |
| 2021 | DeVonta Smith, Phil. | 104 | 64 | 916 | 14.3 | 5 |
| 2020 | Michael Gallup, Dall. | 105 | 59 | 843 | 14.3 | 5 |
| 2022 | Mike Williams, LAC | 93 | 63 | 895 | 14.2 | 4 |
| 2020 | Brandin Cooks, Hou. | 119 | 81 | 1150 | 14.2 | 6 |
| 2022 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | 184 | 128 | 1809 | 14.1 | 8 |
| 2022 | DJ Moore, Car. | 118 | 63 | 888 | 14.1 | 7 |
| 2020 | Chase Claypool, Pitt. | 109 | 62 | 873 | 14.1 | 9 |
| 2021 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 114 | 74 | 1035 | 14.0 | 14 |
| 2021 | CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | 120 | 79 | 1102 | 14.0 | 6 |
I'm not going to call Jeudy a sleeper of the year or anything, but he's a good young wideout who will be an important part of an improved offense. I don't put much stock in the trade talk. Even if the Broncos aren't hanging up on people who call them.
--Andy Richardson