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Courtland Sutton, 28 years old
Remaining contract: Two years, $35.2 million ($17.8 million in average annual value (AAV)), with $9.6 million guaranteed. (UFA)
Arguably the most valuable player on the Broncos offense last year, Courtland Sutton will look to yet again be the alpha of the wide receiver room in 2024.
After two underwhelming years following an ACL tear in 2020, many wondered if Sutton could ever replicate the star power he showed in 2019, where he finished with over 1,000 yards receiving and made the Pro Bowl.
Undeterred by various trade talks in the offseason, Sutton responded with an excellent bounceback season, catching 59 passes for 772 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns.
Beyond the stat sheet, an aspect of Sutton’s game that cannot be overstated is how reliable he was in big moments. When the Broncos offense struggled, Sutton consistently rose to the occasion and delivered highlight-reel catches that truly altered the game.
He was also a near-guaranteed touchdown in the red zone, as his eight red zone touchdowns were good for second-most in the league behind CeeDee Lamb.
Despite his great season, Sutton’s future job security will come down to his place in Denver’s timeline, as they are in the beginning stages of a rebuild, placing the proven but expensive veteran in an awkward position.
Should the Denver Broncos draft a rookie quarterback, having a veteran receiver like Sutton, who can be a smart, dependable target, would be crucial for their development.
However, he will turn 29 in October and carries the 17th-largest cap hit among wide receivers in 2024 and the 15th-largest hit in 2025, putting him ahead of superstars such as A.J. Brown, D.J. Moore, and Brandon Aiyuk.
While his production has been good for the Broncos, it has not been elite to the point he deserves to be included with that group.
Although Sutton’s roster spot in 2024 appears to be safe, his future moving forward is murky.
One could easily envision Sutton spending the rest of his prime years here and being an integral part of their rebuild, or he could soon be traded or even cut due to his age and salary not matching Denver’s timeline.
Ultimately, as is the case with so much of the Broncos’ current roster, a lot of this is dependent on whether or not Sean Payton can find the answer at quarterback quickly.
Marvin Mims Jr., 22 years old
Remaining contract: Three years, $4.9 million ($1.6 million in AAV) with $2 million guaranteed. (UFA)
Perhaps the most intriguing piece in the entire wide receiver room, Marvin Mims Jr. is primed for an increased role in 2024.
With the Broncos trading away Jerry Jeudy to the Browns for fifth and sixth-round selections, Mims is the early favorite for the WR2 spot behind Courtland Sutton, although there will likely be a competition with some other receivers on this list and in this year’s draft.
After being selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft, there was much optimism that Mims could have a great rookie year, as his speed and proven ability as a deep threat made him a great fit with quarterback Russell Wilson.
However, while Mims did make the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams, he had a relatively small impact on the offensive side of the ball, finishing with just 22 catches for 377 yards and one touchdown. His most significant contributions that earned him those illustrious honors came as a returner, where he averaged 16.4 yards on punt returns and 26.5 yards on kick returns.
Mims exploded onto the scene in Week 2 against the Commanders, finishing with 113 yards and a score on just two catches. However, he was seemingly faded out of the offense after that performance and was rarely targeted the rest of the season.
There are many reasons for this, which ultimately blend together, as the Broncos’ offense was not functional for most of the year.
Perhaps this was a Russell Wilson problem? Was this a Sean Payton problem? Did Mims simply lose his reps to the more proven Jerry Jeudy?
The most probable explanation is that Mims needs more time to grow as a player and round out his skillset. When he was used, it was mainly as a deep threat and gadget player, as he didn’t always display the separation skills or versatility needed to be a focal point of the offense.
Sean Payton’s offense is also built around middle-of-the-field throws, making Mims a questionable fit moving forward if he continues to be used only as a deep threat. If Mims can improve his route-running and show the ability to make tough catches over the middle, then he figures to see a significant increase in targets in 2024.
Either way, Mims will have plenty of opportunity to prove himself in his sophomore season. The Broncos’ offense is in desperate need of explosiveness, and he is undoubtedly their best athlete at the position currently.
Tim Patrick, 30 years old
Remaining contract: One year, $7.2 million with $6 million guaranteed. (UFA)
Rewinding back to the 2021 offseason, Tim Patrick’s stock could not have been higher, as he was one of the most exciting pieces in the Broncos offense and was rewarded with a three-year $34 million extension.
Fast forwarding to the present day, Patrick’s stock looks an awful lot like my Rivian shares, as back-to-back season-ending injuries in 2022 and 2023 have killed his trajectory.
The injuries were extremely unfortunate, as Patrick figured to be a crucial part of the offense in both years.
Rather than cutting him and unloading his $16 million cap hit this offseason, the Broncos agreed to terms with Patrick on a paycut that brought his cap number down to $7.2 million.
It is notable that Denver still has enough faith in Patrick to retain him, but from the outside, it’s hard to feel confident.
Despite Patrick reportedly having a “clean recovery” from both injuries, there is no guarantee that he will be the same player when he hits the field this summer, especially now that he is two years older and the last time we saw him was two career-changing injuries ago.
It should also be noted that this contract doesn’t demonstrate that much faith, as they are only paying him an extra $1 million more than they would have if they had just cut him considering he had a $6 million dead cap hit. For the Broncos, it’s a strong, low-risk, high-upside deal.
It has also been reported that Sean Payton is a big fan of Patrick. The Saints were even rumored to be involved in trade talks for him back in 2021.
Should he stay healthy, Payton clearly has a plan for Patrick this upcoming year.
If Patrick comes back and plays like his 2021 self, this will be an excellent move for the Broncos. If he gets hurt or underperforms, no harm is done, and they can easily move on next offseason.
The Broncos also recently hedged their bet on Patrick by signing the next player on the list.
Josh Reynolds, 29 years old
Remaining contract: Two years, $9 million* ($4.5 million AAV), with $4.25 million guaranteed. (UFA)
*Contract could be worth up to $14 million with incentives, though they are categorized as ‘unlikely to be earned’
In what served as a surprising signing, the Broncos added a high-floor option to the receiver room by signing ex-Lions receiver Josh Reynolds.
Reynolds signed a very team-friendly deal for Denver.
In the current receiver market, two years at $9 million is extremely affordable for a proven veteran receiver who will compete for Denver’s WR2 spot.
Reynolds is an excellent fit for Sean Payton’s offense, as the primary strengths of his game include the ability to separate well over the middle and provide tenacious blocking in the run game.
Plus, again, Reynolds is a great insurance option to provide the Broncos with depth.
Should Courtland Sutton get traded, Marvin Mims not develop, or Tim Patrick get injured, Reynolds provides Denver with a well-rounded veteran receiver that helps ensure practice squad players like Philip Dorsett and Michael Bandy don’t have to see the field.
Additionally, it would not be surprising to see Reynolds flat-out replace one of Sutton or Patrick in 2025, as both have uncertain futures at this point.
It remains to be seen whether this signing will prevent Denver from drafting a wide receiver early in the draft. At the very least, it will provide them the flexibility to draft whomever they want and not be fixated on adding talent to the receiver room.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey, 25 years old
Remaining contract: One year, $1.1 million, with $0 guaranteed. (UFA)
When Sean Payton was hired as the Broncos head coach, one of his first moves was signing Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who he had coached from 2019 to 2021.
Humphrey had a clear role from day one as the “big slot” that could help block in the run game — evidenced by his 53.2% of snaps that came from the slot and the impressive tape of him blocking in the trenches.
Clearly, he did this job well, as the Broncos rewarded him with another one-year contract this upcoming season.
He also showed flashes in limited action as a receiver, including a 54-yard touchdown against the Chargers in week 18.
While Humphrey could be more dynamic as a receiver, his blocking ability makes him a valuable piece in the room, proving him worthy of the WR5 or WR6 spot moving forward. Nonetheless, the lack of guaranteed money means he could be an easy camp cut if something better comes along.
Brandon Johnson, 25 years old
Remaining contract: One year, $985k, with $0 guaranteed. (RFA)
After signing with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Brandon Johnson will return for a third year with the Broncos.
Due to Sutton, Mims, Patrick, and Reynolds slotted ahead of him, Johnson figures to compete with Lil’Jordan Humphrey for the WR5 spot.
Statistically, Johnson arguably outperformed Mims this season, finishing with 19 catches for 284 yards and four touchdowns.
Like Mims, this included a great performance in week two against the Commanders, where Johnson finished with three catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was a hail mary as time expired.
However, he was used sparingly for the rest of the season until Week 18, where he had a career-best 88 yards receiving against the Chargers.
Johnson has a good skill set as a possession receiver who can create separation with his route-running, which is enough reason to keep him on the roster in 2024. However, unless there are major injuries to the players above him, it is hard to envision him being a huge factor in the Denver Broncos’ 2024 season.
Jalen Virgil, 25 years old
Remaining contract: One year, $919.2k, with 4.1k guaranteed. (RFA)
Like Johnson, Virgil was also an undrafted free agent signing by the Broncos in 2022.
Virgil, known for his speed, was well-liked by the Nathaniel Hackett coaching staff and, as a rookie, he made the 53-man roster, playing meaningful snaps throughout the year.
This included a 66-yard touchdown reception against the Titans.
Unfortunately, Virgil tore his meniscus last offseason, and what he’ll be like when he returns to the field is still a mystery.
He will have an opportunity to compete for a spot in camp with Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Brandon Johnson, although those two have the inside track after having solid seasons in 2023.
Phillip Dorsett, 31 years old; Michael Bandy, 26 years old; David Sills V, 27 years old
Dorsett, Bandy, and Sills were all signed to the Broncos practice squad before the season started.
Dorsett was the only member of the three to get any offensive snaps, appearing in just two games and finishing with zero catches on three targets.
It is challenging to envision Dorsett, Bandy, or Sills making much of an impact outside of the practice squad’s depth.
There is also a strong possibility that the Broncos will add rookies to the room through the draft and UDFAs, meaning there will be added competition for these practice squad spots, either from those rookies, or from the players those rookies shove off the roster.
Denver Broncos Overall Outlook at WR
Wide receiver is one of the Broncos’ deepest position groups heading into the draft.
Courtland Sutton finally had the rebound season fans were looking for, and the trio of Marvin Mims, Tim Patrick, and Josh Reynolds provide a fair amount of quality receiver play.
Compared to other wide receiver cores around the league, Denver’s depth raises its floor and makes it a respectable unit.
However, despite the high floor of the group, the Broncos still lack a true WR1 who could help raise the group’s potential.
At this point in his career, Sutton is really at his best as a high-end WR2. While Mims is expected to improve and be utilized more, it is also hard to envision him becoming more than a second or third option within the receiving core. Plus, Patrick and Reynolds have their obvious ceilings as complementary pieces.
If the Broncos decide to pass on a quarterback at 12, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. or Texas’s Adonai Mitchell, via trade down, should absolutely be options.
In the midst of a rebuild, the Denver Broncos’ top priority this offseason should be to either find their quarterback or build the offensive foundation for when they eventually find that quarterback.
If the Broncos can acquire a receiver with elite upside, it will elevate the rest of the group dramatically, making it that much easier for a young quarterback to step in and play well. It will also open up many possibilities for Payton to get creative on offense.
