Broncos' WR Courtland Sutton Lands at No. 69 on PFF's Top 101 Players From 2019
Courtland Sutton was impressive as a rookie in 2018. But he really blew the doors down in 2019, establishing himself as the Denver Broncos' clear-cut, bonafide No. 1 wide receiver.
Sutton's numbers speak volumes to the caliber of player he is and better yet, the player he could become. 72 receptions, 1,112 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 15.4 yards per catch.
What makes Sutton's year-two production all the more impressive was that he did it while being at the mercy of three different starting quarterbacks. But that's the mark of a true WR1. No matter who the QB is, that WR1 will magnetically attract the ball.
Sutton earned a trip to his first Pro Bowl as a result of his impressive 2019 campaign. However, with Pro Football Focus releasing their Top 101 Players From 2019 list, Sutton landed another accolade of sorts by grabbing the No. 69 ranking.
Few positions have to rely on others to make them look good — or at least give them the opportunity to make themselves look good — like wide receiver. Courtland Sutton was dealing with sub-standard quarterback play all season long, and that's something that only slightly improved with the move to rookie Drew Lock. Sutton caught 72 passes, broke 16 tackles after the catch and did significant work to bail his quarterback out of some ugly passes over the year. Few players did more with less.
As good as Sutton is, the Broncos need to find a complement to him on the outside. DaeSean Hamilton can be a more-than-solid slot receiver but Tim Patrick is basically a Sutton-lite.
The Broncos need to find a truly complementary Z receiver who brings explosive speed and after-the-catch ability in the open field. The rumor mill has been steadily cranking out buzz this offseason that the Broncos will target speed early and often in the 2020 draft.
For a young QB like Drew Lock, heading into just his second year, it's a huge leg up to have such a talented X receiver like Sutton. Combine Sutton with TE Noah Fant and RB Phillip Lindsay, and the Broncos have some dynamic talent at the skill positions offensively.
But a little more speed could really help put Lock's arsenal over the top and allow the Broncos to fight fire with fire when it comes to their twice-yearly battles with Kansas City. Only time will tell how the Broncos approach that but adding wide receiver talent is something team is sure to address.
As for Sutton, congratulations to him for earning a spot on PFF's coveted list. LB Alexander Johnson also made PFF's Top 101, checking in at No. 46.
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