Tuesday's Demaryius Thomas trade paved the way for Courtland Sutton's inevitable breakout as the Denver Broncos' No. 1 wide receiver.
The previous statement isn't meant as a slight to anything Thomas accomplished during his eight-plus seasons in the Mile High City or Emmanuel Sanders' continued outstanding play. Instead, it serves as an endorsement for an emerging talent ready to take the NFL by storm.
"We thought that this would give Courtland a chance to get out there, play more and become a bigger part of it because we think he's ready to go," general manager and president of football operations John Elway said after sending Thomas and a 2019 seventh-round draft pick to the Houston Texans for a fourth- and seventh-round selection, per the Denver Post's Kyle Fredrickson.