The Broncos have already found their No. 2 wide receiver
Nov 21, 2019, 6:08 AM
The Broncos need as many weapons on offense as they can have if they want to be successful in the future. With the NFL Draft coming up in April, Cecil Lammey joined Shawn Drotar earlier in the week on “The Fan Late Night” and mentioned that this could be one of the best wide receiver classes of all-time.
The Broncos do not need to draft another wide receiver to pair with Courtland Sutton on the other side of the field, however, because they have their guy. His name is Tim Patrick.
Patrick just played in his first game of the season this past Sunday after being activated from injured reserve. He was second on the team in receiving against the Vikings, with four receptions for 77 yards. Not only was Patrick targeted eight times last game, but only Sutton and Patrick were the only wide receivers targeted.
After Emmanuel Sanders was traded to the 49ers in October, everyone wondered what the Broncos would do to replace him. DaeSean Hamilton was drafted to be the replacement, but he has completely disappeared as of late. Hamilton is averaging a whopping 10.6 receiving yards per game with his 11 receptions. Nobody else has stood out.
Late last season when Sanders was out with a torn Achilles, Patrick stepped right in as arguably the best receiver on the team to finish out the final four games of the year. Patrick finished with 19 catches and a team-leading 242 yards during that stretch. Patrick had five more receptions and almost 100 more yards than Courtland Sutton had when he was expected to be the No. 1 receiver.
Don’t forget that you don’t need elite wide receivers to win a Super Bowl either. It’s just a proven fact.
Since the year 2000, only three wide receivers have finished the season in the top five in receiving yards and won the Super Bowl – Victor Cruz, Greg Jennings and Marvin Harrison.
Here’s the catch, Cruz only had four catches for 25 yards in Super Bowl XLVI. Jennings only had four catches for 64 yards the year before in Super Bowl XLV. And in Super Bowl XLI, Harrison only had five catches for 59 yards. None of those guys had elite Super Bowl games.
Here are the rest of the No. 1 receiving leaders from the Super Bowl winning teams since the year 2000 and where they ranked in receiving that year starting with the most recent champion:
2018: Julian Edelman: 28th
2017: Alshon Jeffery: 34th
2016: Julian Edelman: 13th
2015: Demaryius Thomas: 7th
2014: Julian Edelman: 25th
2013: Golden Tate: 31st
2012: Anquan Boldin: 27th
2011: Victor Cruz: 3rd
2010: Greg Jennings: 4th
2009: Marques Colston: 18th
2008: Hines Ward: 15th
2007: Plaxico Burress: 21st
2006: Marvin Harrison: 2nd
2005: Hines Ward: 22nd
2004: David Givens: 32nd
2003: Deion Branch: 32nd
2002: Keyshawn Johnson: 16th
2001: Troy Brown: 10th
2000: Qadry Ismail: 12th
Depending on how Tim Patrick finishes out the season, mainly gauging if he’s able to stay healthy, the Broncos have the opportunity to bring him back in the offseason because he is a restricted free agent. Denver’s last thing they need to worry about is drafting a wide receiver in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft and trying to sign one in free agency.
The Broncos have their wide receiver duo for the next few years. It’s Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.
