The Denver Broncos are gearing up for their three-way quarterback competition, and coach Sean Payton expects wide receiver Courtland Sutton to be present for all of it.
Sutton briefly attended the team’s mandatory minicamp last month after skipping OTAs due to a contract dispute with the Broncos. He is seeking an increase from his $13 million salary scheduled for 2024, following a career-best season with 10 touchdowns in 2023. Last month, Sutton hinted that his participation in training camp depended on signing a new contract.
However, the Broncos have not changed their stance. When asked on Tuesday if he had recent contact with Sutton, Payton replied, “No, and there won’t be any. He will be here, as we discussed, and ready to go.”
The Broncos’ training camp starts on Friday, with rookie Bo Nix competing against Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson for the starting quarterback position. During OTAs, the three quarterbacks split snaps with the first-string offense.
Payton previously stated that he has no specific timeline for naming a starter and provided minimal details on how he plans to distribute playing time.
“We’ll mix things up initially,” Payton said. “It won’t be set in stone. As we get started, we’ll update you. Eventually, we’ll settle into our routine.”
He declined to reveal who would start at quarterback first, emphasizing a more flexible approach based on the team’s progress.
Nix aims to become the first Broncos rookie quarterback to start the season opener since John Elway in 1983.
He will compete against Stidham, who started the last two games last season, and Wilson, acquired from the Jets just before the draft. Nix was the last of a record six quarterbacks selected in the first round.
Nix is excited about the challenge of playing in a city known for its passion for quarterbacks like Elway and Peyton Manning. However, Denver has struggled with quarterback instability since Manning retired after winning Super Bowl 50 in the 2015 season. The team hasn’t made the playoffs since then and hasn’t had a winning season since 2016.
Expectations for the Broncos in 2024 are not high externally, especially after an eight-win season in coach Payton’s first year in Denver. BetMGM predicts the Broncos will win fewer than 5.5 games, the lowest in the AFC West, following the departure of veterans Justin Simmons and Josey Jewell.
When asked if he uses these predictions as motivation, Payton dismissed the idea. He recalled that in 2006, he didn’t focus on such things and still led his team to the NFC championship game in his first year as head coach in New Orleans.
Payton also expects Greg Dulcich, a tight end often plagued by injuries, to practice when camp opens. Dulcich missed most of his first two NFL seasons due to hamstring issues.
This week, the Broncos signed guard Quinn Meinerz to a four-year, $80 million extension. Payton indicated a desire to secure star safety Patrick Surtain with a new contract next.
