Receiver Courtland Sutton eager to help restore luster to Broncos after signing 4-year deal

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Courtland Sutton helped the Denver Broncos end their protracted playoff drought last season.

Now he'll get the chance to help restore some of the franchise's lost luster.

“The biggest thing for me was being able to be here and bring back the years that Broncos fans have known,” Sutton said Tuesday, less than 24 hours after signing his four-year, $92 million extension that was more than a year in the making.

“The organization has such a long, historic tradition of being successful and I've been here through the thick and the thin and there's a lot of promise on the other side of the horizon here," Sutton said.

Sutton has played for five head coaches in Denver and alongside twice that number of starting quarterbacks. He figures he's hit the sweet spot in his eighth NFL season with quarterback Bo Nix and coach Sean Payton.

Sutton had his first 1,000-yard season since 2019 last year when he caught eight touchdown passes a year after hauling in a career-best 10. He helped the Broncos end an eight-year playoff drought.

Although he'll turn 30 this season, Sutton is the latest receiver to receive a big payday. He said he was able to sign a third contract because of his growth mindset keeping him fresh.

He said his philosophy is to get 1% better every day in some aspect of life or football.

“I tell the young guys all the time I'm always trying to find ways to master and become better at my craft on and off the field, and I'm a thief when it comes to finding ways to be better, whether it's a recovery thing, whether it's watching film," Sutton said. "I'm always trying to find something to be better at.

"Complacency scares me."

Several Broncos veterans are angling for new contracts this summer, including Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen and John Franklin-Meyers, but it was Sutton who was the team's top priority.

“He's everything you want in a pro,” said Payton, who summoned Sutton into his office when he took the job two years ago, showed him his 2019 film and told him that's the wide receiver he wanted to see on the field.

Sutton turns out to be the prototypical big receiver Payton covets in his offense.

“No. 1, he epitomizes what we’re looking for,” Payton said. “And then you match that with his play. I mean, just each box you’re checking, leadership, work ethic. I’m excited for him and for the club. Sometimes they take a little bit of time but I think throughout the process there was never that feeling that it wasn’t going to get done. It was just a matter of when."

Sutton concurred, saying, “I had the utmost faith that something was going to get done and the last thing that I wanted to do was be a distraction.”

Payton compared Sutton to Marques Colston, whom he had in New Orleans.

“Marques was maybe a little quieter, but day in and day out so consistent in their performance and then in the game days they were very similar,” Payton said. “They both play split end, strong hands in traffic, really, really good football instincts.

“He doesn't have too many bad days. And those guys with the right energy, there's a lot to be said for that. Because you're going to hit some tough times, you're going to hit some walls during the course of any season. And he's one of those that is part of the solution always.”

Sutton was Nix's favorite option last season and the pair figures to keep that connection going now.

“Bo’s my guy,” Sutton said. "To be able to share the locker room with him, share the field with him, is a special thing. I just look forward to what’s ahead and us continuing to build what we can here.”

NOTES: ILB Alex Singleton underwent surgery Tuesday on his right thumb, which he broke during Monday's practice, and is expected to miss a week.

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