DENVER — The Jerry Jeudy who the Broncos thought they were getting when they made him the No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 draft has emerged.
The receiver capped his strong late-season performance by earning the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for his superb receiving-rushing effort in the Broncos' 31-28 win Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Two months ago, as Jeudy laid hurt on the Tennessee Titans' Nissan Stadium field with a sprained ankle suffered while trying to make a cut on the first play of the game, his career to that point had been a disappointment. He missed the rest of that game and two more because of the ankle injury.
Through the Broncos' first 11 games, Jeudy had but 30 catches for 449 yards and 3 touchdowns.
But after returning from his ankle injury, Jeudy exploded in his final six games, a stretch where he had 37 receptions for 523 yards and 3 touchdowns (all in one game against the Kansas City Chiefs).
Jeudy capped his fine finish Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High with 5 catches for 154 yards against the Chargers, plus added another 39 yards rushing off three carries.
As a first-round draft pick, Jeudy's contract calls for the Broncos to make a call by May 1 on whether to exercise his fifth-year option -- which figures to have a salary of between $12 million and $13 million -- for the 2024 season. (He is already in line for a $2.68 million salary next season).
Six weeks ago, the Broncos had reason to decline Jeudy's fifth-year option. Six games later, exercising his 5th-year option seems like a no-brainer.
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