Cowboys' Courtland Sutton Trade Rumor Heats Up With ESPN Breaking News

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys have a wide receiver dilemma that can possibly be solved in this week's NFL Draft.

Or ... it can definitely be solved in a trade for a homegrown product from Brenham, Texas, who checks all the boxes.

Courtland Sutton, still just 29 years old and entering the final year of his deal, has been on the Denver Broncos' trade block for at least a year or two. There was even a bit of a standoff between he and the Broncos last off-season. Sutton was seeking a pay raise and skipped some of the team's voluntary workouts as a means of protest.

CowboysCountry.com reported a month ago that Denver might be "pivoting to a full youth movement around quarterback Bo Nix'' and that for Sutton and the Broncos, "it feels like the end is finally near.''

And that report now seems to be coming to fruition.

ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday night reported The Broncos have made inquiries about trading up in the first round from 20th overall. This "breaking news'' was actually first "broken'' last week by Denver general manager George Paton who acknowledged during his pre-draft press conference that trade talk is happening.

"We’ve made calls — this week you make a lot of calls and then next week [are] the more serious calls,'' he said. "‘Hey, if this player is here, we want to move up,’ or what have you."

And none of this is a shocker to our readers, who know that in our view, Dallas has an opportunity with this more-than-a-rumor concept that should cause it to answer that phone.

And COO Stephen Jones is already on record a couple different times this offseason referencing trades, one hinting at a trade-down from No. 12 while also conceded that the Cowboys are desperate for an "explosive No. 2 receiver'' to complement CeeDee Lamb.

There has been draft-related focus there, of course, with Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan and Texas' Matthew Golden among the possible targets.

But our argument is that the SMU product Sutton - standing at 6-4, with a physical presence and proven red-zone ability - is ready-made for that role.

The way we've outlined it?

Dallas engineers a trade-back from pick 12 to 20 in exchange for Sutton. That drop would still allow Dallas to go after North Carolina's Omarion Hampton (or somebody of his ilk) to solve the desire to add a starting running back.

A 2-for-1 swap for two explosive starters.

Of course, the biggest obstacle trading for Sutton (presently at $20 million APY) will be his desire for a new contract. But if Sutton at 29 truly values the idea of coming home, maybe he is willing to work with the Cowboys financially.

So many of the pieces fit here. The Broncos are calling.

The Cowboys should answer.