Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has been the topic of many conversations over the last few weeks. Former wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. called him out during the Week 6 telecast of the Broncos against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football with some harsh words. In addition to that, he has been mentioned in trade rumors for months.
Reports have indicated that the Broncos are likely going to move on from their first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft ahead of the October 31st deadline. However, their asking price will have to be adjusted.
Over the offseason, the Broncos were reportedly seeking a first-round pick in exchange for the Alabama product. They won’t get close to that kind of value right now, as Jeudy isn’t producing near the same level that he did last season when he put up career highs across the board.
In five games this season, Jeudy has caught only 20 passes for 222 yards and zero touchdowns. The Broncos will be lucky to receive a Day 2 pick of any kind in return for him at this point. However, he wants to make it clear the lack of production isn’t solely on him.
Earlier this week, Jeudy opened up about his statistics being down in 2023 compared to last season. In his opinion, if you watch the tape and focus on his performance there, you will get the full story of what is going on.
“I mean, as a receiver, there’s a lot of people you’ve got to depend on,” Jeudy said, via the Denver Post. “You can be open, but if the line don’t do their thing or the quarterback don’t do his thing or the (offensive coordinator) don’t put you (in a good spot), it’s a whole lot of stuff that you’ve got to go through as a receiver to be successful. I can’t really (worry).
“At the end of the day, I’ve got to do what I do. People can say, ‘Oh, look at the stats, look at this, look at that.’ But the eye in the sky don’t lie.”
One of the strengths that Jeudy possesses is his route-running ability. That isn’t something the casual fan will realize as there isn’t a box score statistic for it. But, teams who are interested in him will see it on film and notice that he is doing the same things he has in the past, the numbers just aren’t coming along with it this time around.
“That’s what y’all need to go watch the film instead of looking at the stats,” he said. “Go watch the film and see what it is.” (H/T NFL.com)
There is certainly some truth to what Jeudy is saying, as wide receivers need a lot to go right for them to succeed. The quarterback needs to put the ball in a position for them to catch it, which is impacted by the offensive line giving said quarterback enough time to throw the ball.
If one of those things is interrupted, which has been the case constantly for the Broncos during Jeudy’s tenure with the team, the process is derailed. The result is lackluster stats, such as the ones he has one-third of the way through the 2023 campaign.
