Courtland Sutton’s absence from voluntary workouts this month might raise some eyebrows.
For Sean Payton and George Paton, though, the veteran wide receiver skipping April work isn’t anything to get worked up about.
“It’s 100% voluntary. It’s the first week of the offseason program,” Paton said Thursday. “Sean’s talked to Courtland. I’ve talked to Courtland. He’s in a good place and we’ll just leave it at that.”
Sutton has two years left on his contract and just $2 million guaranteed of the $27.6 million total remaining on the four-year extension he signed in November 2021.
Aside from Sutton, almost every other player on the Broncos roster has been in town.
“Man, the turnout has been great,” Payton said. “I’d say probably 98%. Two or three individuals that weren’t here and I’ve talked with all of them.”
Denver will be mostly in the weight room and in meetings until a rookie minicamp a couple of weeks after the draft and then once OTAs begin May 21.
Phase 1 goals. In the meantime, Payton said the team is basically pitching to players why it’s good for them to work out in Denver rather than at their offseason homes.
“It’s optional to be here and I think the player today wants to be somewhere where, man, they are getting a real good workout, they’re getting food, all the things that go into it. The recovery if it’s a player coming off of injury. You want them to feel like they’re getting that compared to where they normally do that in the offseason,” he said. “If they feel like the place that they’re coming from is accomplishing more than when they get here, then that’s not good.”
Payton said a big part of the pitch is that Denver went from last in the NFL in games missed to injury in 2022 to right at the top of the league last year.
“I don’t want them, when they pull in the parking lot, feeling like they’re coming to practice,” Payton said. “I want them to feel like they’re coming to get into shape and to take care of their bodies and that part of it’s been good.”
Kickoff rule impact. One interesting subplot to the 2024 NFL season is the experimental kickoff rule aimed at increasing the amount of return chances per game. Players will align much differently than they have in the past, which changes what teams look for both in terms of blockers and tacklers, but also potentially in returners.
“There’s a little unknown,” Payton said. “The distance traveled is going to be not as far, so if you’re covering a kick, speed was fairly important as a coverage unit and getting down the field and getting to the ball-carrier. We’ve taken that whole group and said, ‘OK, we’re putting you guys 10 yards away (from the returner).’ I think we could see a little bit of a heavier unit.
“And it’s certainly going to put a premium on your two returners.”
The Broncos were among the 29 teams that voted to implement the change on a one-year trial basis last month at the spring ownership meetings.
“We were for it for a lot of reasons,” Payton said. “We feel like we’re one of the better special teams units. We made a lot of gains there. We’ve got a good returner. Certainly as you look at the personnel, though, the blocking schemes as you return it, this is going to evolve quickly, I think.”
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