Denver Broncos wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton have been at the center of trade talks for the past few weeks, but according to head coach Sean Payton, those two aren’t going anywhere. Speaking to reporters, Payton said that the Broncos aren’t going to trade either receiver, but is he telling the truth?
#Broncos coach Sean Payton addresses the rumors of possible trades involving Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy, telling @TomPelissero: "I see and read just like everyone else… but we're not trading those two players.”
More perspective here 👇👇👇 https://t.co/HjVDcbHPhl— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 26, 2023
Is Sean Payton Lying About Trading Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton?
Payton’s Statement
While speaking to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Payton had the following to say about the trade rumors surrounding his top two receivers. “I see and read just like everyone else does. Then occasionally, when someone really crowds the plate, I throw a fastball right at their chin, and they back up, and they’re like, ‘Alright.’ And so I haven’t thrown any fastballs lately, but we’re not trading those two players.
“When people call and the phone rings like it does this time of year, George Paton’s job is to pick it up and say, ‘Hey. Tell you what, we’re not.’ And so, we’ve received calls, you bet…Why do people call? Because they know we’re void of draft picks and that we might, because there was some discussions a year ago, I think regarding Courtland. But we like the current group that we’re working with.”
So, as we can see, there’s more to that quote than the headline implies. For one, if the Broncos weren’t even considering trading Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy, then why was Paton even answering those calls? Payton also mentions that the team discussed trading Sutton last year before he arrived in Denver, and he also brought up Denver’s complete lack of draft capital.
Reading between the lines, Payton’s statement sounds more like a man trying to drive up the price on the two receivers. Basically, Payton is just saying that they won’t give these two away for free, but which teams are most likely to meet Denver’s price?
Who Could Trade For Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton?
The most obvious candidate is the New England Patriots. With Matt Patricia out of town and Mac Jones entering his third year in the league, the team needs to figure out if the Alabama product can turn into a true franchise quarterback. The team has a few decent receivers in Juju Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, and Kendrick Bourne, but they could use a premier weapon like Jeudy or Sutton.
Alternatively, these receivers could also make sense for teams like the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans that will draft their future quarterbacks in a month’s time. Both teams have added several veteran receivers in recent weeks, but Sutton and Jeudy would easily be the best players on either roster.
The previous three teams make the most sense, as none of them figure to be true Super Bowl threats in 2023. The Broncos won’t want to trade Jeudy or Sutton to any of the top teams in the AFC, but if the Chiefs and Ravens are making the best offers, there is a chance the Broncos pull the trigger. Nelson Agholor isn’t going to solve all of Baltimore’s problems, and the Chiefs need somebody to replace Juju Smith-Schuster.
Main Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck – USA Today Sports
