Courtland Sutton had little hesitation Tuesday when he received a question asking if he can return to his prior self this upcoming season.

“Most definitely,” the Broncos wide receiver said. “I don’t see myself coming back and having any setbacks, any hiccups or anything that I’ll say, ‘I can’t do that in my game anymore.’ I’ve been working my butt off in rehab.”

Sutton, who’s entering his fourth year in the NFL, is coming off a season-ending ACL tear in 2020-21 after being injured in the first game of the 2020-21 season. The 6-foot-4, 216-pound Pro Bowler is known for his explosiveness and ability to catch 50-50 balls.

And after a serious injury like his, some are wondering if he’ll be able to be the same player he was in 2019, when he caught 124 passes for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns. But not Sutton. He wants to exceed expectations.

“My mindset is not to just come back and be where I was when I got hurt,” Sutton said. “It’s to go above and beyond that. I know that it’s there. I look at other people who have had the injury and look at the success they have had post surgery. … It’s all about how you attack the rehab and how your mindset is when you go into the rehab, the practices and the games. Just taking everything as, ‘How can I get better in this situation?'”

‘There’s a lot of value’: Broncos safety Justin Simmons explains decision to attend OTAs

Sutton said working out alongside star outside linebacker Von Miller, who also suffered a season-ending injury, was a huge help. Miller, an 11-year veteran, sent Sutton inspirational videos and connected him with other players in the league who came back from ACL tears.

Specifically, Sutton studied guys like Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen, who suffered an ACL tear in 2016 and then had the best season of his career in 2017. And long-time NFL running back Adrian Peterson, who tore his ACL in 2011 and then rushed for 2,097 yards in 2013 while winning league MVP.

“Von was the No. 1 person. Being able to have him next to me in the training room was amazing,” Sutton said. “He actually connected me with Keenan Allen. One of the videos that Von sent me was a video of Adrian Peterson whenever he tore his ACL. That’s the video I keep on me. It was very inspirational. The mindset that he had of, ‘I’m working my butt off to be able to come back and go play.’ He firmly believed that the work he was putting in was going to allow him to come back and play the game at a very, very high level. He went off and went for 2,000 yards and was 9 yards short of the record.

“It’s there and it’s all about how you see the situation and how you see yourself having success and not dwelling on the negatives of anything.”

Sutton still isn’t doing “everything” according to coach Vic Fangio. But he is practicing with his teammates for the first time in nine months.

“We’re kind of easing him in,” Fangio said. “His rehab has been fantastic thus far. He’s had a great attitude. I’ll be surprised if he’s not ready to go sooner than what the timetable might be. He’s had a great offseason and he’s had a great effect in the training room with the other guys that are rehabbing. He’s been infectious in that way. Courtland is a stud, and it won’t be long before he’s out there.”

Von Miller happy to still be with the Broncos, hoping to get Denver ‘over the hump’

The Broncos can certainly use the old Sutton after the Broncos finished 28th in receiving yards in 2020-21. Sutton is a strong believer that he’ll be back in prime form come Sept. 12 in the Broncos’ opener, saying he doesn’t see himself “coming back and playing anything under the standard I’ve set for myself already.”

“For myself, I’m just grateful for the chance to be able to go back out there,” Sutton said. “I hear all the stories about how ACLs used to be career-ending type of injuries. … Just being able to be out there and be hands on with the dudes has been so much fun. It’s definitely something that I’m very grateful for, for sure.”