Patriots: Sean Payton delivers bad news about Jerry Jeudy
Options are dwindling for the New England Patriots to upgrade their wide receiver corps. Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton told NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on Sunday that his team won’t trade wide receivers Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton. "I see and read just like everyone else does," Payton said to NFL Media. "Then occasionally, […]
Options are dwindling for the New England Patriots to upgrade their wide receiver corps.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton told NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on Sunday that his team won’t trade wide receivers Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton.
"I see and read just like everyone else does," Payton said to NFL Media. "Then occasionally, when someone really crowds the plate, I throw a fastball right at their chin, and they back up, and they're like, 'Alright.' And so I haven't thrown any fastballs lately, but we're not trading those two players.
"When people call and the phone rings like it does this time of year, (general manager) George Paton's job is to pick it up and say, 'Hey. Tell you what, we're not.' And so, we've received calls, you bet. Those are two good football players. But we're in the business of gathering talent right now. Why do people call? Because they know we're void of draft picks and that we might, because there was some discussions a year ago, I think, regarding Courtland. But we like the current group that we're working with."
Jeudy was called a more realistic trade option for the Patriots than Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins by a source last week. That same source said the Broncos were pricing Jeudy like they didn’t want to trade him. Denver was looking for a first-round pick for Jeudy. They priced Sutton at a second-round pick, per 9NEWS’s Mike Klis.
So, while Payton says Denver won't trade their top wide receivers, it sounds more like they haven't received the offers they were looking for up to this point.
The Patriots have already added running back James Robinson, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and tight end Mike Gesicki this offseason. They have replaced running back Damien Harris, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and tight end Jonnu Smith, however, so there hasn't been a massive upgrade in New England’s offensive skill-player personnel group.
New England did hire offensive coordinator/QBs coach Bill O’Brien and offensive line coach Adrian Klemm this offseason, which should give the unit a boost. If the Patriots want to add a wide receiver, they’ll have to hope trade demands for Jeudy or Hopkins drop or select a player in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Featured image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
