Jerry Jeudy

Broncos Pick Up WR Jerry Jeudy’s Fifth-Year Option

May 1st, 2023 at 12:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

After his future in Denver appeared to be in doubt, Jerry Jeudy will remain with the Broncos through the next two seasons. The receiver will have his fifth-year option picked up, as confirmed by a team announcement. Doing so will set him for a $14.12MM cap hit in 2024.

Jeudy, 24, was the second receiver off the board in 2020, going 15th overall and entering the Mile High City with considerable expectations. By and large, he has yet to live up to them, failing to eclipse the 1,000-yard threshold in any of his three seasons with the team. During a strong showing to close out the 2022 campaign, however, he began to flash the potential he showed coming out of college.

The Alabama product finished the season with new career highs in catches (67), yards (972) and touchdowns (six), a relatively impressive statline considering the challenges the Broncos’ offense suffered throughout the campaign. Those totals also led to several inquiries around the league regarding Jeudy’s availability (along with that of fellow wideout Courtland Sutton).

On multiple occasions, Broncos decision-makers have insisted Jeudy in particular is part of the team’s long-term plans. This move proves that sentiment, and will allow him to continue his career ascent while Denver looks to take a much-needed step forward on offense to begin the Sean Payton era. Their passing game will have a new element following their approach to the draft.

The Broncos traded up in the second round to select Oklahoma wideout Marvin Mims, giving them a vertical threat and another young option at the position. He, along with Jeudy, is in line to serve in a leading role for at least the short-term future on offense. How willing Denver is to commit to a multi-year deal with the latter (this offseason or next) will now become an interesting storyline to monitor.

Latest On Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton

April 21st, 2023 at 2:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

As it stands now, the Broncos will not make a draft pick until early in the third round. Denver holds the Nos. 67 and 68 overall choices, having traded out of the first round (twice) and second.

The team, which dealt its top two 2023 draft choices for Russell Wilson and unloaded the pick it obtained for Bradley Chubb — No. 29 overall — for Sean Payton, has fielded calls on Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. Payton said both players are in the team’s plans, after high trade prices emerged for each. When asked about Jeudy, GM George Paton confirmed the former first-round pick will be back.

“We’re high — really high — on Jerry. We don’t anticipate doing anything with Jerry,” Paton said regarding a potential Jeudy trade, via Denver7’s Troy Renck. “Jerry finished the season strong — the last five games, he had over 500 yards. He was one of the top receivers in the league. We like Jerry, and he’s going to be here.”

While this does not shut down the prospect of the Broncos dealing the John Elway-era investment, the team moving its best wide receiver ahead of a critical Wilson season has always been a risky proposition. Jeudy, 24 on Monday, finished with a career-high 972 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season. The Broncos have wanted a first-round pick in a prospective trade; it is fairly clear no team has offered that.

That said, Paton did not confirm the team would pick up Jeudy’s fifth-year option. Because Jeudy has not made a Pro Bowl, the Alabama alum would be in line for a $14.12MM fully guaranteed 2024 salary if the Broncos exercised the option. They have until May 2 to do so. Not indicating they will pick up the option does leave the door open to the Broncos trading Jeudy — and letting his next team decide on the option — but that trail has been cold for weeks.

The Ravens discussed Sutton with the Broncos earlier this offseason, and The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec notes the teams looked to be far along toward a potential trade (subscription required). But the Broncos backed out of the talks. Baltimore has since signed Odell Beckham Jr., giving the eight-year veteran a $15MM guarantee. Sutton is due a $14MM base salary this year; that figure is guaranteed. The Broncos have wanted a second-round pick for Sutton, whom Paton extended (on a four-year, $60MM deal) during the 2021 season.

It is unclear exactly when the Ravens-Broncos talks neared a potential deal; Payton expressed support for both to be back March 26. It will not be safe to lock in Jeudy or Sutton as Broncos until next Friday, when the second round of the draft begins. But the Payton-Paton tandem has kept pointing to both starters returning.

Denver is on track to have Tim Patrick back from a training camp ACL tear; the possession receiver has received full clearance for football activities. The Broncos gave both Patrick and Sutton extensions just before the 2022 offseason led to a market shift at the position, but 2021 represents the only window in which both joined Jeudy as healthy. Jeudy also suffered a high ankle sprain that season, shelving him for several games. The Broncos, who lost Sutton to an ACL tear in 2020, have been unable to keep ex-second-rounder KJ Hamler on the field as well. Hamler sustained a partial pectoral tear recently and will be sidelined for months.

The team did bring in Marquez Callaway, who played for Payton in New Orleans, and was in on free agents Allen Lazard and Adam Thielen. One of the latter two signing would have created a crowded receiver room. As of now, however, the Broncos are mostly rolling with their holdover receivers. Will a move by Day 2 of the draft change the equation?

Broncos HC Sean Payton Insists Team Will Not Trade WRs Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton

March 26th, 2023 at 10:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Throughout the early offseason, rumors have run rampant concerning two of the Broncos’ most promising assets. Denver fielded calls before last year’s trade deadline from several teams seeking to acquire wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. Despite the existing interest, new head coach Sean Payton assured the media today that they have no intentions of dealing Jeudy or Sutton.

Trade interest in the two young wideouts began last season as needy teams were looking to add some weapons for a playoff run. Although it became clear that the Broncos weren’t shopping the two players two weeks ago, teams have still been calling to inquire about their availability.

At the annual league meetings, Payton chose to address the situation quite plainly. “I see and read like everyone else does,” Payton told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. “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.”

For those confused by Payton’s baseball analogy, the new Denver head coach is saying that if anyone was pushing too hard for Jeudy or Sutton, he would make sure they received the message of their unavailability. Apparently, that hasn’t been necessary, so far.

“When people call and the phone rings like it does this time of year, [general manager] George Paton‘s job is to pick it up and say, ‘Hey. Tell you what, we’re not,'” Payton continued. “And so, we’ve received calls, you bet. Those are two good football players. But we’re in the business of gathering talent right now. 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 we’re working with.”

So, it looks like Denver will be moving forward with those top-two weapons for quarterback Russell Wilson. Under new leadership and with the return of a strong third option in Tim Patrick, the Broncos’ offense is hoping to look different than they did in 2022 with a similar roster. Payton intends to keep Sutton and Jeudy around.

Broncos Pursued Adam Thielen, Allen Lazard; Jerry Jeudy Still Drawing Trade Interest

March 26th, 2023 at 7:39am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 26: Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required) reiterates earlier reports that the Broncos are seeking a first-round pick in a Jeudy trade, with Troy Renck of Denver 7 tweeting that the club is holding firm on that demand. Doug Kyed of AtoZSports.com hears that Jeudy may be a more realistic trade option than Hopkins, but Denver’s insistence on a first-rounder in exchange for Jeudy could be an indication that the team does not really want to move him.

League sources tell Howe that Denver’s asking price for Sutton remains too high as well, so although the Broncos’ interest in free agent pass catchers does suggest that Payton & Co. are perhaps willing to make some changes to their receiver room, it is clear that a club that wants Jeudy or Sutton is going to need to make an especially aggressive offer.

Indeed, Cabot reports that the Browns never got close to landing Jeudy. Cleveland was prepared to deal the No. 42 overall pick in this year’s draft — the same pick that it used to acquire Elijah Moore from the Jets — but the team would have also needed to include a talented player or another high selection in the 2024 draft, and even that may not have been enough.

MARCH 22: While reports of the Broncos’ plans to keep Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton keep emerging, the again-retooling team’s starting wide receivers continue to come up in trade rumors. Denver’s pursuits of other wide receivers in free agency may provide a hint to Sean Payton‘s plans at the position.

Adam Thielen said the Broncos and Cowboys joined the Panthers in pursuing him in free agency, David Newton of ESPN.com notes, while The Score’s Jordan Schultz adds the team made an aggressive push for Allen Lazard before he signed with the Jets (Twitter link).

As the Broncos potentially helped drive up the prices for Thielen and Lazard, who respectively received $14MM and $22MM fully guaranteed, the subject will shift back to their holdover receivers. Denver rosters a former first-round pick (Jeudy), two outside receivers on veteran deals (Sutton, Tim Patrick) and a second-round deep threat who has battled steady injury problems (KJ Hamler). Given the team’s pursuits of outside help at the position, it can be assumed Payton wants to shake up this position, which has not seen major augmentations since the Jeudy and Hamler selections three years ago.

Count the Browns as a team in on Jeudy. While the Broncos want a first-round pick for Jeudy, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the Browns have not given up on a pursuit despite their lack of a first-round selection this year. The Broncos are not truly keeping Jeudy off the market, Cabot adds, as they are willing to part with the fourth-year receiver for a strong offer.

The Cowboys look to be off the table for Jeudy, after they acquired Brandin Cooks, but teams like the Giants and Patriots have previously looked into the talented pass catcher. While DeAndre Hopkins is willing to rework his contract, the Cardinals wideout’s through-2024 deal would be more expensive to acquire than Jeudy’s. A modest fifth-year option price can extend Jeudy’s rookie deal through 2024. With some teams still look for receiving help during an offseason that brought an unremarkable free agency crop and looks to feature a lesser group of prospects in the draft, Jeudy’s name will carry value in the weeks leading up to the draft.

The Browns have Amari Cooper tied to his Cowboys-constructed $20MM-per-year deal. Although the team restructured Cooper’s contract last year, his cap numbers sit at $23.8MM in 2023 and ’24. The team also restructured Deshaun Watson‘s deal, ballooning his 2024-26 cap numbers to record-obliterating figures while dropping his 2023 hit to $19.1MM. The Browns hold just more than $10MM in cap space. Jeudy would fit alongside Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones in Cleveland; the latter is going into a contract year but produced his best season in 2022.

Denver’s wideouts have yet to put it together. Quarterback play, injuries and last year’s disjointed offense have played a major role in Jeudy and Sutton’s inconsistency. But the team’s pursuits of Thielen and Lazard will not quiet the rumblings that either Jeudy or Sutton could be on the move ahead of the draft. Sutton and Patrick’s skillsets overlap, and Thielen and Lazard also qualify as possession targets. Jeudy’s route-running chops and elusiveness differ from both the incumbent targets and the recent free agents, but at 23, he would fetch the Broncos the best haul.

The Broncos, they of no first- or second-round pick this year, continue to be faced with a choice of retaining a promising wide receiver — one who would stand to move the needle as Payton attempts to reignite Russell Wilson — or moving on in exchange for vital 2023 draft capital.

Teams Remain Interested In Jerry Jeudy; Broncos Seeking First-Round Pick For WR

March 17th, 2023 at 1:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 17: While teams’ interest could reach the point of an offer the Broncos cannot refuse, the team does not want to move either Jeudy or Sutton. Denver prefers to move forward with both starters, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Optimism exists Payton will unlock some of the long-held potential of both Sutton and Jeudy, per Klis, who notes the team has hope Sutton — now more than two years removed from his September 2020 ACL tear — will return to his pre-injury form. Sutton is due a $14MM base salary in 2023.

MARCH 15: As they did before the 2022 trade deadline, the Broncos are receiving calls on Jerry Jeudy. The team has thus far shut down interest in the ascending wide receiver, but a price point has emerged that could convince the franchise to sell high.

The Broncos would want a first-round pick for the fourth-year receiver, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports (on Twitter). Jeudy can be controlled on his rookie contract through 2024, with his fifth-year option call due by May. That seems likely to be exercised — by the Broncos or another team — given Jeudy’s talent.

Denver resisted interest in Jeudy last year, and it made sense for the Broncos to regroup and prepare for the former first-round pick to be part of a better offense in 2023. But neither Sean Payton nor George Paton was in place when the Broncos drafted Jeudy. While the Alabama product profiles as Denver’s top receiver, the team does not have first- or second-round picks in this year’s draft — due to the Payton and Russell Wilson trades. Using Jeudy or Courtland Sutton would be a way for the franchise to add a pick or multiple selections in this year’s draft.

A recent report indicated teams have called the Broncos on Sutton and Jeudy, but the team has thus far passed on trade overtures toward the John Elway-era investments. Both players are on affordable contracts, with Sutton signed through 2025 on a $15MM-per-year accord he signed during the 2021 season. With the Bengals and Chargers taking Tee Higgins and Keenan Allen off the market, respectively, teams seeing if they can pry one of the Broncos’ starters away — in exchange for much-needed draft capital — makes sense.

Then again, the Broncos gave Wilson a $49MM-per-year extension before last season and are still banking on the former Seahawks star re-emerging from a shockingly mediocre 2022 season. Dealing away Jeudy, 23, would stand to hinder Wilson’s rebound effort. Sutton would seem to make more sense as a trade chip, though he would be unlikely to fetch as much. He is entering his age-28 season. But the team has a similar player in Tim Patrick, an outside receiver tied to a $10MM-per-year contract. Patrick has not come up in trade rumors, having missed last season with an ACL tear.

The Cowboys and Giants were among the teams to contact the Broncos on Jeudy before the deadline last year; Dallas made an offer. Both teams are still believed to be looking for receiver help. The Broncos have upped their asking price compared to last year, when a report pegged the team as seeking a second-round pick. Given this modest free agent receiver class and only veterans DeAndre Hopkins and Brandin Cooks viewed as available via trade, Denver is asking for more now. Following those trade rumors, Jeudy finished the 2022 season with a career-high 972 receiving yards to lead the Broncos. This did not move the needle much, however, as Denver’s Nathaniel Hackett-directed offense ranked last in scoring.

In New Orleans, Payton prioritized multiple receivers — Marques Colston, Michael Thomas — but reached agreements to trade two complementary talents (Cooks, Kenny Stills) as well. The Broncos, as the Saints are known to do, are investing heavily along their offensive line. The team reached agreements with Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers this week, and the team will likely consider a Quinn Meinerz extension next year. Considering Jeudy’s age, the Broncos will face a pivotal decision on the state of their receiving corps soon.

Patriots To Sign WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

March 16th, 2023 at 9:31am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 16: The $33MM number turned out to be the max value here. Instead, the Patriots signed the seventh-year wideout to a three-year, $25.5MM contract, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. Like Meyers, he received $16MM guaranteed at signing, but he did not reach an eight-figure AAV. Smith-Schuster can get to that $33MM mark via performance, with Volin adding $7.5MM remains available through receiving yards-based incentives. Only $4.5MM of those incentives are achievable during the deal’s guaranteed years, with SI.com’s Albert Breer adding $3MM are part of Smith-Schuster’s 2025 potential earnings (Twitter link).

MARCH 15: While mutual interest existed between the Chiefs and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the veteran wide receiver looks set to change teams again. The Patriots are signing the seventh-year wideout, Taylor Bisciotti and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report (on Twitter).

The Chiefs made efforts to bring back Smith-Schuster, their leading wide receiver in 2022, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets. But the Pats will acquire a versatile performer to replace Jakobi Meyers, who committed to the Raiders on Tuesday.

This situation appeared to come down to how much of a hometown discount Smith-Schuster would accept; he said before Super Bowl LVII he wanted to stay in Kansas City. It is unclear how much the Chiefs offered, but Mike Giardi of NFL.com tweets the money did not reach the place the Pats went (Twitter link).

New England is giving Smith-Schuster a three-year, $33MM deal, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Guarantees are not yet known, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds JuJu will collect $22.5MM through 2024 (Twitter link). After settling for one-year deals in 2021 (with Pittsburgh) and ’22 (with Kansas City), Smith-Schuster finally scores a multiyear commitment.

Used mostly in the slot with the Steelers, Smith-Schuster shuffled across formations with the Chiefs and produced a rebound season upon teaming with Patrick Mahomes. The 26-year-old target caught 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns. The 933 yards marked Smith-Schuster’s most since his 2018 Pro Bowl season in Pittsburgh. He finished with the fifth-most YAC over expected (plus-141), per Next Gen Stats, in 2022.

Smith-Schuster’s AAV matches the money the Raiders and Jets gave to Meyers and Allen Lazard, respectively, and this represents another medium-term accord the Pats are giving out to bolster the position. They handed Nelson Agholor a two-year, $22MM contract in 2021. The former first-rounder did not live up to it, and he is unlikely to return in 2023. It is interesting the Pats passed on Meyers to pay an outside hire similar cash — something Meyers has since noticed (Twitter link) — but Smith-Schuster has shown a slightly higher ceiling. These two are also the same age, despite Meyers entering the league two years later. The Patriots did not offer Meyers the kind of guarantees the Raiders did, Giardi adds. Meyers signed for $22MM guaranteed in total and $16.5MM fully guaranteed.

Although Smith-Schuster’s 1,400-yard season during Antonio Brown‘s Steelers swansong still looks like an outlier, he showed plenty in Kansas City last season. The Chiefs signed Smith-Schuster, a free agent target for two years, to an incentive-laden deal — initially a $3.8MM pact — and the USC alum ended up adding millions to his 2022 earnings by hitting a few of those benchmarks. Kansas City obviously features a favorable setup, with Reid calling the shots in a Mahomes-piloted attack, but Smith-Schuster became the No. 1 receiver for a team that managed to win the Super Bowl after trading Tyreek Hill. It will be interesting to see who the Chiefs target to fill Smith-Schuster’s role. While the team is keen on expanding Kadarius Toney‘s responsibilities, the talented ex-Giant’s rampant injury trouble could interfere.

Mecole Hardman remains unsigned, and while the Chiefs were planning to let the speedster walk, perhaps the Smith-Schuster defection changes their thinking. Kansas City will be an attractive setup for wide receivers, and Odell Beckham Jr. remains available. OBJ would undoubtedly need to set a new price point, as his reported $20MM-per-year ask is out of step with his value. But the Chiefs were connected to OBJ in 2021 and ’22.

As for the Patriots, Smith-Schuster will join a team in transition at receiver. Kendrick Bourne enjoyed a solid season in 2021 but fell into the doghouse last season. The Pats used a second-round pick on Tyquan Thornton, but an injury halted his rookie-year development. DeVante Parker remains under contract, as does Bourne, but Smith-Schuster is now positioned to be the No. 1 receiver in Bill O’Brien‘s offense.

The team has also looked into Jerry Jeudy, per Denver7’s Troy Renck (on Twitter), and DeAndre Hopkins. It is unclear how serious it is to making more upgrades after landing JuJu. The Pats are not currently pursuing Hopkins, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.

Giants Rumors: Lawrence, Edwards, WRs, Love

March 12th, 2023 at 6:03pm CST by Ely Allen

The Giants have been eyeing an extension for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence for a while now and, following a breakout season, the team has made it a priority. New York started preliminary conversations with Lawrence about two weeks ago, but Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS claims he wouldn’t be surprised to see a new deal done “sooner than later.”

Despite the ever-growing markets for every position, the league’s market for defensive tackles has never been near the contract of generational talent Aaron Donald. It appears that this will continue to be the case as we see the defensive tackle market reestablished this offseason. Washington has already made Daron Payne the new second-highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL behind Donald with a four-year, $90MM contract. Payne’s average annual value of $22.5MM is still well short of Donald’s $31.67MM per year.

It will be interesting to see where the Giants go from Payne’s deal. Payne established himself as a premier pass-rushing defensive tackle in the league this season but struggled in run defense. Lawrence didn’t have the pass rush production that Payne did but still excelled in the area while also being strong against the run.

Lawrence graded out as the second-best defensive tackle in the league this year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). It would make perfect sense for the Giants to reward Lawrence with a contract that surpasses that of Payne’s new deal, but will Lawrence be able to come anywhere close to the heights reached by Donald?

Here are a few more rumors surrounding the Giants’ priorities at the start of the new league year:

Starting the offseason with 21 unrestricted free agents, New York had a laundry list of names and positions to take care of. One of those positions that has been getting some chatter is inside linebacker. Specifically, the Giants have continuously been connected to Eagles pending free agent linebacker T.J. Edwards, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. The four-year Philadelphia defender has had two increasingly impressive breakout seasons, recording career-highs last year in total tackles (159), tackles for loss (10), sacks (2.0), quarterback hits (5), and passes defensed (7). Aside from Edwards, the top name expected to be available at the position is Tremaine Edmunds from Buffalo. Other names of interest for the G-Men include the Commanders’ Cole Holcomb, the Bengals’ Germaine Pratt, the Cowboys’ Leighton Vander Esch, the Lions’ Alex Anzalone, and the Chargers’ Drue Tranquill.
The wide receivers position has been an obvious need on the Giants’ roster for some time now, but it doesn’t appear that the Giants intend to address that through free agency, according to Pat Leonard of New York Daily News. With their focuses in free agency and the draft reportedly on inside linebackers, defensive linemen, cornerbacks, and interior offensive linemen, thoughts are that the trade market may make more sense for New York. If the Bills aren’t able to reach an extension agreement with Gabriel Davis, the Giants could be strong contenders to acquire his talents. The Rams have granted receiver Allen Robinson permission to seek a trade. Cardinals star receiver DeAndre Hopkins appears to be available for a price, as well. There are other names that could be interesting additions to the trade market such as Cincinnati wideout Tyler Boyd or Denver’s Jerry Jeudy. The team might still make free agency moves for veterans like Cole Beasley or Odell Beckham Jr., but the trade market could be a more attractive way to bring in established talent to New York.
There is reportedly optimism that the Giants will be able to come to an agreement to re-sign pending free agent safety Julian Love. After two seasons of relatively down play, Love had a bounce-back, breakout season in a contract year. He led the team in tackles by a mile with 124 total and tacked on two interceptions for good measure. Love may not be expected to make top money at the position, but after playing out his rookie contract, it appears Love is on the right track to remaining in New York long-term.

Teams Calling Broncos On Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton; WRs Not Being Shopped

March 11th, 2023 at 4:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos’ attempt to upgrade their offense around Russell Wilson and Nathaniel Hackett faceplanted in 2022, and during that tumble, teams contacted the struggling AFC West squad about its starting wide receivers. The Broncos shut down those inquiries, but teams are now again wondering about their availability.

Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton have prompted calls from multiple teams this offseason, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets. Both are starters on manageable contracts, and each can be kept through 2024. As such, the Broncos informed the interested teams they are not shopping either player.

Sean Payton is now running the Broncos, alongside GM George Paton. Jeudy and Sutton were John Elway-era investments, the former arriving as a 2020 first-round pick and the latter joining the team — as a 2018 second-rounder — during Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders‘ tenure together. Neither has been consistently productive, though both have put together lengthy stretches. Injuries and Denver’s quarterback situation has hindered each, with 2022’s all-fronts disaster leading to struggles as well. Even as the Broncos ranked last in scoring, however, Jeudy 972 receiving yards and Sutton compiled 829.

Sutton signed a four-year, $60MM extension during the 2021 season; that deal runs through 2025. The wideout market exploded in the months after Sutton signed. Jeudy’s rookie deal runs through 2023, and the Broncos should be expected to pick up his fifth-year option for 2024. That decision is due by May. Denver also has Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler on its payroll, but neither would carry the trade value on the level of Jeudy or Sutton. Jeudy received more trade interest last year — the Cowboys made an offer, and the Giants also pursued the Alabama alum — though Paton confirmed both generated interest.

Although Sutton sent out a tweet seemingly pertaining to his Broncos status Friday, indications are he is not going anywhere. But the Broncos making him available could help them in terms of draft capital. The team understandably held off on dealing away Wilson’s top two targets last fall, expecting a bounce-back showing from the QB in 2023, but it has since parted with its 2023 first-round pick (for Payton). It lacks a second-rounder as well, due to the Wilson trade.

Denver entertaining a receiver trade would come as teams prepare offers for what is viewed as a mediocre free agent class and as the Chargers and Bengals have shut down trade overtures regarding their receivers. Keenan Allen and Tee Higgins are not available, per those teams’ GMs, pushing the likes of DeAndre Hopkins and Brandin Cooks to the top of the trade block at the position. Given the state of the wideout market, it is understandable teams are calling the Broncos. Barring a big offer, at least, the team looks prepared to have each work in Payton’s offense.

AFC Rumors: Texans, Jeudy, Njoku

December 2nd, 2022 at 10:07pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans will be without two key players as they go up against their former quarterback and the Browns this weekend, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Leading wide receiver Brandin Cooks and rookie cornerback Derek Stingley have been ruled out going into the weekend.

Houston has struggled mightily so far this year en route to a 1-9-1 record. Despite the promise heading into the year of the connection between second-year starting quarterback Davis Mills and Cooks, neither has quite lived up to their potential. Mills has officially lost the starting job he earned as a rookie, getting benched for Kyle Allen. Cooks, after cracking the 1,000-yard receiving mark in each of his first two seasons with the Texans, will be hard-pressed to reach that achievement this year as he currently boasts 520 receiving yards with only seven games remaining. Cooks will miss his second game of the season with a calf injury, and the Texans will be forced to lean on Nico Collins, Chris Moore, Phillip Dorsett, and Amari Rodgers to hopefully make up for the loss of Cooks.

Stingley is set to miss his third game in a row with a hamstring issue. Stingley has endured a rough transition to the NFL. So far in his rookie season, Stingley has only graded out as the NFL’s 107th-best cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Still, he is third on the Texans with five passes defensed and tied for second with one interception, showing that he makes an impact on a defense that has struggled for much of the year. In Stingley’s absence, Desmond King will continue to start opposite Steven Nelson with Tavierre Thomas getting some solid action, as well.

Here are a few other injury rumors from around the AFC, starting with some potentially good news at Mile High:

Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy could be set to make a return to the field against the Ravens this weekend, according to Kyle Newman of the Denver Post. After a two-week absence, the third-year wide out is a game-time decision to play. KJ Hamler will miss a fourth straight game, after suffering a recent setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury. Jeudy’s return would be a big boost for a Denver team that has been forced to rely on Kendall Hinton, Montrell Washington, and Brandon Johnson as its Courtland Sutton supporting cast over the past two games.
After returning for two straight games, Browns tight end David Njoku has been ruled out once again, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Despite a slow start to the season, Njoku had begun a streak of strong performances to justify his new contract. Unfortunately, his momentum came to a crashing halt when he missed two games with an ankle injury. Coming off a five-catch performance last week that included a game-tying touchdown catch with 32 seconds remaining, seeing Njoku sidelined once again, this time with a knee injury, is the last thing Browns fans were hoping to see.

WR Rumors: Diggs, Texans, Panthers, Hamler

November 17th, 2022 at 11:13am CST by Sam Robinson

Week 10’s Vikings–Bills thriller featured Stefon Diggs‘ first game against his former team. The 2020 trade that sent Diggs to Buffalo and a compensation package headlined by a first-round pick (Justin Jefferson) to Minnesota became one of the great win-win trades in modern NFL history. Diggs voicing his frustration about the Vikings’ run-heavy offense in 2019 led to Bills interest, laying the groundwork for the 2020 swap. Diggs requested a trade in October 2019, but after meetings with Vikings brass, the sides agreed to shelve the matter until 2020, Tim Graham of The Athletic reports (subscription required).

After a season in which Diggs drew just 94 targets in 15 games, the Vikings worked with the wideout’s agent to find a fit. The Jets and Patriots reached out, and Graham adds the Texans were in the mix as well. A Texans trade would have been interesting, considering they ended up trading DeAndre Hopkins on the same day Diggs was ultimately dealt. Houston ended up acquiring Brandin Cooks later that spring. Diggs did not ask for a new contract from the Bills immediately. His camp worried an extension request upon arrival would scuttle a potential deal, Graham adds, but the Bills understood money needed to be moved to accommodate the trade asset. Buffalo did so later that summer. Diggs ended up playing two years on his 2018 Vikings-constructed deal before inking a four-year, $96MM Bills pact this offseason.

Both Diggs and Jefferson are 2-for-2 in Pro Bowls since the trade, with both heading toward more accolades this year. Jefferson will be eligible for a monster extension in 2023. Here is the latest from the NFL’s receiver landscape:

Although the Texans used their No. 1 waiver spot to claim Amari Rodgers on Wednesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) the Panthers also submitted a claim. The Panthers have D.J. Moore and Terrace Marshall signed to long-term deals but recently changed up their receiver situation by trading Robbie Anderson. Houston now has Rodgers, a 2021 third-round pick whom the Packers cut this week, signed through 2024.
Injury problems have hindered the Broncos throughout the season, and their receiver situation — one already affected by Tim Patrick‘s training camp ACL tear — took another hit last week when KJ Hamler went down in practice. Hamler’s hamstring injury sidelined him for Denver’s Week 10 game, and Nathaniel Hackett said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, on Twitter) the third-year wideout is expected to miss “a few” more weeks due to the injury. A former second-round pick, Hamler is coming off a season marred by an ACL tear and a hip injury. The young deep threat drew interest at the trade deadline, but the Broncos opted to stand pat at receiver. Hamler has just seven catches for 165 yards this season.
Conversely, Jerry Jeudy is believed to have avoided a major setback. Jeudy suffered an ankle injury early in the Broncos’ Week 10 loss to the Titans; he was carted off the field. But the Broncos believe the former first-round pick dodged a bullet, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who notes Jeudy could return this week. Jeudy, who also left a Week 2 game due to an ankle injury before returning in Week 3, has 30 receptions for 449 yards this season.

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