Broncos’ Payton calls Sutton-49ers trade rumors a ‘stretch’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Sometimes, there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to NFL trade rumors.
After The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported last Thursday that the Broncos declined a 49ers offer that would have sent a third-round draft pick to Denver in exchange for wide receiver Courtland Sutton, Sean Payton on Monday downplayed the trade talks.
“I’m going to say in the last three months, there have been multiple teams call about Courtland,” the Broncos coach told reporters (h/t Pro Football Talk). “He’s a good football player. It’s a little bit of a stretch relative to the specifics. I read the same thing you read, and I would say we didn’t get nearly as far down the road as what may have been reported.
“It’s insignificant. For me to comment on every call that comes in to [general manager] George [Paton] or myself would be ludicrous.”
Russini’s report came shortly after San Francisco finally reached an agreement with star wideout Brandon Aiyuk on a four-year contract extension worth a reported $120 million. Per Russini, the 49ers only were willing to trade Aiyuk if they could get a high-end wide receiver to replace him — and had the Broncos accepted the 49ers’ offer, San Francisco reportedly would have traded Aiyuk to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While Payton appeared to imply the 49ers, as well as other teams, did in fact reach out to the Broncos about Sutton, it’s unclear if there ever was an actual offer on the table for veteran receiver.
But with Aiyuk officially signed through the 2028 NFL season, it’s all just water under the bridge now, anyway.
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