In what is shaping up to be a busy offseason for the Denver Broncos, cornerback Pat Surtain II’s long-term future is a major priority.
His stature among teammates is undeniable, making his future in Denver all the more important. Those same teammates are going to be quite interested in what occurs.
“He is — we all think it — and you’ve heard me say it, one of our best players, if not our best player,” safety Justin Simmons stated.
What the Broncos do with Surtain in the coming months will reveal whether the organization’s leaders agree with the locker room.
By May 2, the Broncos will have to exercise the fifth year of Surtain’s rookie contract and may also begin talks for a long-term extension.
“We’re all big fans of Pat,” Broncos general manager George Paton stated at the end of the season. “… We want Pat here for a long time, but I’m not ready to make any statements about anything going forward.”
The Broncos have not made a first-round pick since Surtain was selected ninth overall in the 2021 draft, owing to coaching staff turnover (Sean Payton is the third head coach since the start of 2019), as well as changes at general manager and ownership over the last three years. He is also the Broncos’ lone first-round pick on defence, and one of only three first-round picks on the team.
In the last four rounds, the Broncos have made three picks in the top 45: Surtain, running back Javonte Williams at No. 35 in 2021, and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy at No. 15 in 2020.
Surtain is eligible for a fifth-year option for $18.65 million for the 2025 season because he has been selected to two Pro Bowls in his first three seasons. Once the Broncos formally pursue that option, they may be able to continue working on a long-term agreement.
If the Broncos choose not to exercise the option, like they did with tackle Garett Bolles before signing him to a long-term agreement in 2020, Surtain will be a free agent following the 2024 season.
The use of a franchise tag might loom even while Surtain and his representatives monitor how things proceed with the Broncos, who will face salary-cap constraints over the next two years as well as quarterback uncertainty if Russell Wilson is released.
“I just focus on what I can control to prepare myself,” Surtain explained. “I’m constantly going to improve my game and techniques; I want to be the greatest at what I do. Accolades are fantastic, and I respect them, but all I want is to be the best player I can, and everything else will fall into place.
Finding a cornerback to start opposite of Surtain will also be important. Paton and Payton met with the coaching staff, scouts, and pro personnel evaluators last week to go over the depth chart and team needs before the scouting combine begins next week in Indianapolis.
After the Broncos’ Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph benched Damarri Mathis, a fourth-round pick in 2022, and Fabian Moreau started the remaining 11 games opposite Surtain. Moreau, who will turn 30 in April and joined the Broncos as a late signing in August, is set to become an unrestricted free agency.
Last April, the Broncos selected cornerback Riley Moss with a third-round pick; however, Moss missed nearly all of training camp due to a core muscle ailment and played only 23 defensive snaps in 14 games.
Beyond quarterback, the cornerback spot on the depth chart is one of the most obvious as free agency and the draft approach. Joseph is concerned about “the balance of having a player like Pat and the knowledge that quarterbacks are going to avoid him — and they will really avoid him if you don’t have a plan about how you play or who you have opposite of him.”
With the 12th choice in the first round this year, the Broncos may select one of the top cornerbacks available. Alabama’s Terrion Arnold, Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell, Clemson’s Nate Wiggins, and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean are among the defensive backs projected to be top-20 picks.
“I’ve always said you can never have too many corners,” Joseph said at the end of the season. “That’s how the NFL works; how you affect quarterbacks in the rush and coverage is essential now. Fitting Pat into that will always be one of the most important things we do.
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