The Las Vegas Raiders finally lost to the Denver Broncos last season after four straight years of sweeping the series. The two wins in 2024, which were a bit lopsided, marked the first time that the Broncos had beaten the Silver and Black since their relocation to Las Vegas.
Denver caught lightning in a bottle during 2024 with their rookie quarterback, Bo Nix, but their success was predicated on having arguably the most dominant defense in the league. They played at an incredible turnover margin and gave the offense the best starting field position in the NFL.
Despite the defense being the star of the show, however, the Broncos made an interesting move to extend wide receiver Courtland Sutton on Monday. He had been sitting out live periods during training camp until finally striking a four-year deal worth up to $92 million.
Raiders should rejoice as Broncos spend $92 million on Courtland Sutton
While this is not nearly as bad as the contract they gave quarterback Russell Wilson a few years ago, it still seems like a waste of money for the Broncos. At $23 million per year, that puts him ahead of players like Davante Adams, Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, none of whom he is better than.
Sutton is also turning 30 this season, which means he will be 34 years old by the time his contract expires. That is a bit over the hill for a wide receiver, and Sutton already showed signs of slowing down in 2024.
Despite recording 1,081 receiving yards last season, the second-highest mark in his career, his touchdown receptions went down from the year prior. He also had a career-high nine drops, and Nix threw six interceptions when targeting him (via Pro Football Reference).
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Several of his drops came at crucial points in the game as well, and most would consider him to be an inconsistent No. 1 wide receiver, at best. Plus, the Broncos have several defensive players who are up for an extension and are more worthy of this money than Sutton.
This list includes edge rusher Nik Bonitto, who had 13.5 sacks last season, defensive linemen Zach Allen, who had 8.5 sacks and 40 quarterback hits in 2024, and defensive end John Franklin-Myers, who had 7.0 sacks a season ago.
Of the $92 million, however, only $41 million of it is guaranteed, according to Mike Klis. This should tell both Raiders and Broncos fans how confident the leadership in Denver is that Sutton will be a force for the team over the next several years. While not a waste of money, these funds should have been allocated elsewhere, and it could come back to haunt Las Vegas' AFC West rival.
