Courtland Sutton Dishes on the 'Different Standard' Broncos Have Embraced with Russell Wilson in the Fold
The Denver Broncos are back in the building. Phase 1 of the Broncos' offseason training program has begun, and it's given the players a chance to mingle with the newer faces in the locker room — the most noteworthy being veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.
Acquired via trade from Seattle back in March, Wilson has already made a strong impression on his teammates and coaches. Out of the gates, Wilson reached out to his new offensive teammates and organized a throwing camp in San Diego.
Courtland Sutton, Denver's only wide receiver with a Pro Bowl on his resume, was there in San Diego, and on Tuesday, he recounted what it was like spending time with and working alongside Wilson.
"It was nice to get that first introduction into him—us getting to meet him, him getting to meet us," Sutton said. "Kind of getting a feel for how he operates on the field, how he sees things. In terms of just football knowledge, the guy understands football to a different level. Having the years he has under his belt, it's nice to be able to sit back and listen to the whys of why he wants to do things the way he wants to do them. Just learning. Learning as much as we can around him."
Sutton seems giddy over literally waking up to the news that Wilson would be his new quarterback. Sutton detailed how he learned of the Wilson acquisition while taking a nap in Florida.
"I guess it was like a day or two after Aaron Rodgers got his contract, got renewed in Green Bay so everyone was just kind of wondering what was going to happen. We had all heard the rumors that we were going to try to get a quarterback, we just didn't know which one," Sutton said.
The Wilson news broke across the internet but the fifth-year year wideout had already laid down for a nap, and declined multiple calls from friends and his girlfriend, thinking they were reaching out to talk about how Rodgers' situation had resolved in Green Bay. But when his girlfriend called again, Sutton figured something was up.
"I was taking a nap and my girlfriend called me... and I said, 'I guess I've got to answer this one' and she was like, 'Ya'll just got Russ.' I was like—it was like that wake-up, you have to wake up—I was like, 'Hold on, what happened?' She was like, 'Yeah, ya'll just got Russell Wilson.' I said, 'Hold on. I'm going to call you back,'" Sutton recalled. "And I hung up and I went on Twitter and saw that we got him and started calling my boys. Everyone was just excited for the opportunity, knowing we have a chance to go out there and do what we want to do and we have the guy under center that we know can get us there."
The biggest shift Sutton has noticed in the building is a new energy, or, as he describes it, "juice," since Wilson arrived. The Broncos' expectations and even the day-to-day standards have been elevated by the nine-time Pro Bowler's presence.
"I think that you all can feel it, we all can feel it," Sutton said. "The juice is just different. I wasn't around when Peyton [Manning] was here but from what I'm hearing, everyone that was here when Peyton was here, the juice and the energy is pretty similar, knowing that we have a guy that has been at the top of that mountain before, has won a Super Bowl before, does know what it's like to be at the highest level for his position, and to lead a team to a Super Bowl—I think everyone in the building understands the expectation, the standards, are being raised to everyone's best. From the cooks, to the equipment guys, to everyone, everyone in the building, is understanding that we have to operate at a different level. We're operating a different standard."
Sutton made sure to stipulate that that new vibe and the elevated standards isn't just a result of Wilson's arrival but also new head coach Nathaniel Hackett — a veritable whirling dervish of optimism, enthusiasm, and positivity.
"It's Russ plus Coach Hackett, the new coaching staff, everyone is bringing that new juice and that new energy into the building," Sutton said. "I think everyone is buying into it and understanding what the standard is."
So what's been the biggest difference Sutton has noticed between Wilson's approach and presence as a quarterback and the previous signal-callers he's played with since arriving as a second-round draft pick back in 2018?
"I think one of the things—and I've seen this in maybe a couple of the quarterbacks I've had here is, his knowledge of the game is to a different level and you can tell that it comes to him so easy," Sutton said. "He wants everyone around him to understand it the way he understands it so we can all play as fast as we possibly can. It's fun to be in this space, for us to be able to grow together."
Don't get it twisted, though. Wilson was just as excited to be a Bronco as all his new teammates were to have him in the fold.
"I think he was just as excited as we are to be able to have the opportunity," Sutton said. "He knew the weapons that we had here and the capability that we have to be able to go out and go be successful. We're all just really excited to be able to work together to be able to get to that same common goal that we all want to get to."
Wilson's presence has already lighted a fire in everyone's belly at Dove Valley. The standard, the goal, isn't just to hopefully make the playoffs. It's about winning the AFC West and ultimately, World Championships.
The confidence that gives these players and coaches who have been wandering the NFL desert since Super Bowl 50 can't be overestimated. We don't yet know what the limits of Wilson's impact can be in Denver.
Wilson has already proven throughout his 10-year NFL career to be the tide that raises all the ships around him. Now it's Denver's turn to benefit from that rising tide.
"I think having Russ, already, he's making everyone tap into a different level," Sutton said. "Everyone is understanding that the standard that we've been at, bump it up a little bit. Everything is ramped up just a little bit more. Whatever we've been doing, obviously, individually, it might have been successful for some people but as a collective, we haven't been able to get to where we want to get to. In order for us to get there, everybody has to bump their standards up. That's the thing that for myself, for the team, we're all looking at that. We're looking at—we've had the individual successes but what do we need to do as individuals to bring our team collectively together to be the best we can be and win the AFC West, and do everything else we need to at the end of the season."
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