The trade rumors about Broncos receivers just won’t go away

Twice at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix this week, Sean Payton reiterated the Broncos’ intent to keep Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy.

He made one such statement to NFL Network on Sunday after arriving on Sunday after arriving. A day later, at his press conference during the AFC Coaches Breakfast, Payton doubled down.

“I would say a number of teams have called on those players,” Payton said. “It (trading either) is not something that we’re interested in doing.”

But at the same time, Payton predicted the rumblings would continue.

“Obviously in the offseason, everyone wants to be on top of any type of transaction, and I understand that. It will continue, I’m sure, as we get closer to the draft,” Payton said.

And he was right. Another log landed in the fire Thursday when ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Baltimore Ravens have looked into trading for Sutton.

Writes Fowler:

The Ravens have been fairly active in the wide receiver market. As Dan [Graziano] mentioned above, they’ve looked into Beckham. I’ve heard the same for DeAndre Hopkins and Courtland Sutton. They seem open to potentially adding a quality outside receiver, whether [Lamar] Jackson is in the lineup or not.

Now, that doesn’t mean the Broncos want to trade Sutton. But if teams are looking into Sutton and/or Jeudy, it means they believe the Broncos remain open for business.

Payton acknowledged Monday that the quality of the draft class will impact interest.

“If you really look at the draft and you really look at the receiver depth in the draft, it’s not a real deep draft,” Payton said Monday. “If you’re a team that’s looking for receivers — we’re not the only team people called. I’m sure Houston with Brandin Cooks and other players like that. It’s pretty common in the offseason, I think.”

And it doesn’t seem like the rumors will stop — or that the phone will stop ringing.

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