Kiz: OK, we all agree that Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur needs to go. And he should take quarterback Teddy Bridgewater with him. But I’m beginning to wonder about receiver Jerry Jeudy. Playmakers make plays. And Jeudy hasn’t produced a touchdown this season. Is that all on Shurmur? While he’s not a first-round bust, is it fair to call Jeudy a disappointment?
O’Halloran: Through Sunday’s games, 262 NFL players had caught at least one touchdown pass this year and Jeudy shockingly isn’t one of them. I’ll spread the blame among four factors – 1. Jeudy’s Week 1 injury which shelved him for nearly two months; 2. Uneven quarterback play; 3. An inability to create favorable match-ups; and 4. Jeudy’s lack of development. I’m with you — I expected more from him in Year 2.
Kiz: There’s no doubt Jeudy can run routes capable of breaking a defensive back’s ankles. But does he truly have the speed to be a home-run threat for the Denver offense? After splurging on hefty contract extensions for Tim Patrick and Courtland Sutton, does general manager George Paton view Jeudy as this team’s No. 1 receiver of the future? Are there Pro Bowl trips in Jeudy’s future? Or is there a little too much prima donna in his game?
O’Halloran: What has been surprising is I haven’t seen the consistent route-winning moves that made Jeudy the 15th overall pick in 2020. He made a big error Sunday when he had room to cross the first-down marker, but inexplicably stopped his route short, resulting in a Broncos punt. I had two initial reactions to the Patrick/Sutton contracts: They were keeping their offensive core intact to look attractive for a new quarterback or they were making sure Patrick/Sutton were in the fold so they could shop Jeudy as a chip to acquire said quarterback. He has simply not looked like a No. 1 (or even No. 1B) and that means no Pro Bowls unless the Broncos upgrade at quarterback and keep Jeudy.
Kiz: The No. 1, make-or-break task for Paton during the offseason is to find a quarterback who can bring the excitement back to the Denver offense and return this team to playoff contention. Would Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers view Jeudy as an appealing target and motivate an elite QB to seek a trade to the Broncos? Or at this point, would Jeudy have more value to Paton as part of a trade package to Seattle or Green Bay?
O’Halloran: That is one of about a dozen $1 million questions for Paton. I subscribe to the theory of doing whatever it takes to get Wilson (who I believe will have a career rebirth in Denver) and just about whatever it takes to get Rodgers (because he’s older). Does that mean packaging Jeudy among the players/picks that Seattle/Green Bay would command? Paton should not rule out anything. That said, match Wilson with Jeudy/Sutton/Patrick and each player will see an uptick in production. Wilson or Rodgers would likely see Jeudy in particular as a young player in need of their veteran expertise.
