Broncos WR Courtland Sutton Has Been Studying the 'Slant God'
Back in 2012, Sean Payton, as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, drafted a wideout out of Ohio State who became known as the 'Slant God.' Michael Thomas hit the ground running in New Orleans, posting four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons catching Drew Brees passes in Payton's scheme.
In 2019, Thomas broke the NFL's single-season receptions record with 149, which translated to a whopping 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns. It's been all downhill since then for Thomas, due to injuries and Payton stepping down as head coach following the 2021 season.
However, Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton has been studying Thomas' game film, specifically that record-breaking 2019 campaign.
“It’s interesting. I actually just got—not too long ago—maybe a week or two ago, I just got Michael Thomas’ 2019 targets from his year that he broke the record," Sutton said on Thursday. "Just diving into it, [I’ve] been able to see how he may have ran a route that we are learning right now. Figuring out ways to be able to get open because, obviously, he had a really good year that year. So, to be able to find ways to implement the things he did well into my game, I feel like we’re going to have a lot of success.”
Saints WR Michael Thomas (13) and HC Sean Payton slap hands before the game against the Titans in 2019.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Sutton is no slouch in the slant department himself, although he became known as a Pro Bowler because of his penchant for taking what would be a 50/50 ball for most receivers and turning it into a 70/30 proposition in his favor. Alas, since the ACL tear he suffered in the 2020 season, those big downfield plays have been few and far between.
Maybe Sutton's vertical talent returns at some point, but he's had to improve as a route runner and learn the nuances of his craft. The older he gets, the less he can rely solely on his athletic ability to jump out of the gym, so to speak, and that's doubly true post-ACL injury.
While Payton surely will dial up no shortage of vertical shots this coming season in Denver, especially off of play-action, his designs for Sutton are likely more in line with how Thomas was used in New Orleans. As prolific as Thomas' 149-catch season was, he only averaged 11.6 yards per reception.
Thomas mastered the nuance of the slant, the curl, the hook, and every conceivable route designed to give a receiver a sliver of separation underneath. From there, he used his 6-foot-3, 212-pound frame, and excellent hands, to box defenders out and secure the catch.
Payton is hoping that Sutton can master that same skill set because he possesses a similar frame as Thomas. Sutton's hands aren't quite as reliable, but that can be perfected under Payton's tutelage.
Sutton's career-high season came in 2019 when he posted 72 receptions for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns. He produced at a high level, despite catching passes from three different starting quarterbacks. That was his Pro Bowl year.
After his injury-wracked 2020 campaign, Sutton totaled 58 catches for 776 yards in 2021 and 64 catches for 829 yards last season, with four touchdowns combined over that span. Those numbers pale in comparison to Thomas' peak production in Payton's offense.
Sutton surely isn't the only Broncos wideout studying Thomas' film. Watch out for Tim Patrick this season, as he fits the Thomas prototype arguably even better than Sutton because of the reliability of his hands.
Sutton has enjoyed seeing Patrick out on the grass after he missed all of last season with his own torn ACL.
"Tim’s going to always be a dog," Sutton said. "He’s going to always be a guy that can go out there and make plays, be a spark, be a leader. It’s been great having him back in the meeting room, back on the field. You can hear him back there talking to the young guys as well. It’s just nice to have another vet presence in that room.”
It's doubtful that any Broncos receiver will approach Thomas' 2019 numbers because Payton's scheme in Denver is expected to be a lot more run-oriented this season in order to bring Russell Wilson back from the brink. But with Jerry Jeudy poised for a break-out season, Patrick primed for a comeback year, and Sutton champing at the bit to return to his former glory, don't rule it out completely.
Stranger things, etc.
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