Report: Sutton, Broncos Yet to Make 'Real Progress' on Contract

The veteran WR continues to stay away from team headquarters.

August 19, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) during halftime against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Courtland Sutton's holdout from voluntary practice has stretched into Phase III of the Denver Broncos' offseason program — and there doesn't appear to be an end in sight.

ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler recently reported the sides have yet to make "real progress" on a new contract, for which negotiations "remain ongoing."

The subject of continuous trade rumors, Sutton has skipped a month's worth of Broncos workouts while training on his own in Florida. This, according to 9NEWS' Mike Klis, is "sending a message to the team he’d like a reworked contract – i.e. more money – by staying away" from Dove Valley headquarters.

"A trade does not seem to be an option," Klis added. "It's worth noting Sutton is not demanding a trade, which is fine because the Broncos aren't trading him. The time to have entertained this option was during the draft and that passed without any talk of a trade. And so Sutton will continue working out on his own in Florida. A reworked contract also is not on the table, at least not yet."

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Sutton, 28, is entering the penultimate campaign of his four-year, $60.8 million extension inked in 2021. He has $27.6 million left on his deal, roughly $25 million of which is non-guaranteed.

And the Broncos aren't sweating the situation.

“I mean, it’s 100 percent voluntary," general manager George Paton said on April 18. "It’s the first week of the offseason program. Sean has talked to Courtland; I’ve talked to Courtland. He’s in a good place, and I’ll just leave it at that.”

That tune assuredly will change if Sutton remains absent when mandatory minicamp kicks off June 11.

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