The NFL season is less than a week away and fans are excited for the season to begin. A lot of development after an eventual off-season has people eager to see their teams improve upon last year. With news cycles dominated by the New York Jets after the moves they made, all eyes are on a competitive AFC East. With a new quarterback and offensive philosophy, the team looks to not only end a 12-year playoff drought but contend for a Super Bowl as well. To help close that gap between them and the Bills, general manager Joe Douglas could look to address the wide receiver group as a way to catch up. New York has the cap space to address it. If the trade market is the route to go, the Jets could turn to Courtland Sutton as the missing piece for this offense.
[cta id=4013 type=cta]
New York Jets Could Target Courtland Sutton At the Trade Deadline
To avoid backlash from Broncos fans, I want to remind readers this is merely a hypothetical. There have been no rumors or new circulation of an impending Broncos wide receiver trade. However, should the Broncos struggle under Sean Payton, it would be in the team’s best interest to build up draft capital. One route towards that could be trading wide receiver Courtland Sutton. Sutton, a second-round pick out of SMU in 2018, has shown a lot of promise over the years. At his peak, he produced a 1,112-yard season with six touchdowns in 2019 to earn his first Pro Bowl appearance. However, he has failed to reach those numbers since he tried to overcome a torn ACL in 2020. Along with the regression of Russell Wilson last year, Sutton could recognize the Broncos have a steep hill to climb in the AFC West.
Why This Trade Is Realistic
Sutton enters 2023 as the projected leader in targets for Denver. The team’s learning a new offense from Sean Payton and will be without K.J. Hamler and Tim Patrick. Courtland Sutton is in the last year of guaranteed money from the four-year extension he signed in 2021. While still two years away from free agency, Sutton could look to capitalize on the open market soon. His long-term future has been in question after Denver selected wide receivers twice in the past three years. Jerry Jeudy was a first-round pick in 2021 and Marvin Mims was a second-round pick this year. Facing off against the reigning Super Bowl Champions in Kansas City, a talented Chargers team and an improved Raiders team could force Sutton’s hand to explore his options while still in his prime.
Why Courtland Sutton, New York Jets Are A Fit
New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas shocked fans by acquiring Aaron Rodgers in April. The Jets were coming off a productive season as they are looking to return to the postseason for the first time since losing to the Steelers in the 2011 AFC Championship. A top-five defense and a new offense will play a significant factor in that. However, the team isn’t without its faults. The New York Jets offensive line is still uninspired and the team needs to replace a now-retired Corey Davis at wide receiver. Sutton would be a tremendous replacement for Davis. Aaron Rodgers would be the best quarterback he’s ever played with and the team has the cap space to absorb his contract.
More important than that, it allows Sutton to reunite with a familiar face. New York hired Zach Azzanni as their wide receivers coach. Azzanni has over 22 years of coaching experience and has been in the NFL since 2017. From 2018 to 2022, Azzanni was a fixture in Denver as the team’s wide receiver coach through three head coach regimes. Sutton’s history with Azzanni and 2022 experience playing with Hackett will be an easy plug-and-play into the team’s offense. He would also reunite with former Broncos assistant Rob Calabrese. A trio of Wilson, Sutton, and Lazard could be one of the best trios in the league if it happens. If Sutton wants to avoid missing the playoffs while in his prime, the New York Jets could help.
Universal Responsible Gambling Disclaimer:
Ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Main Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck – USA Today Sports
