Pat Surtain II is an anomaly.
He is the rare cornerback who doesn’t taunt opponents or spend news conferences shouting, “I am the best.” Because everybody already knows it.
The Broncos have believed since Surtain’s first training camp that he is their most talented player. Over the past three seasons he has proven it, earning two Pro Bowl nods and one All-Pro honor. He turns receivers into Chick-Fil-A: they are never open on Sunday.
And the Broncos need more.
Surtain can’t be just a great cover corner. He has to elevate into a playmaker.
He is the Broncos’ new Champ Bailey. Bailey did everything but lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl title. No expectation seems unreasonable for Surtain – Ring of Fame, Hall of Fame. Those are honors he will someday share with Bailey.
It’s not fair, of course, asking a defensive star to be a driving force behind making a once-proud franchise relevant. But it is Surtain’s reality after the Broncos signed the 24-year-old to a four-year, $96 million contract extension Wednesday with $77.5 million guaranteed.
Surtain reset the market, at least until New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner gets a new contract.
But here’s the deal with the deal. Surtain can no longer be defined by shadow statistics and deep-dive analytics. Every number reveals that teams are reluctant to challenge him. Every analysis of the All-22 film shows he dominates, especially on plays where he is not targeted.
Yet, there is a narrow pathway for Surtain to achieve a higher level. He needs more interceptions, more takeaways. There are two ways to achieve this: He has to take more chances, and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph must let him follow the opponent’s top guy more often.
“It’s a different game now than when Champ played. A lot more routes with safer throws,” former Broncos four-time Pro Bowl corner Chris Harris told The Denver Post. “If Pat wants more targets, more pickable passes, he has to guard the best receiver every week. There will definitely be some balls forced at him then.”
When the opportunity presents itself, the Broncos need Surtain to swing for the fences, even if it runs against every fiber of his family’s defensive back DNA.
Taking risks requires an understanding that it might lead to additional completions. That’s OK. As it stands, he is like the Broncos’ Aaron Judge. In baseball, teams can remove Judge from the equation by not pitching to him. Quarterbacks do the same thing against Surtain when they go long stretches without looking in his direction.
In 2022, Surtain’s best season, he allowed fewer than 25 yards in 12 games. In 2023, he took a slight step back, dropping from the league’s top corner into the top five. In 2024, he is motivated to show he is the best.
It is a difficult assignment. Teams will not suddenly target him — not with every offensive coordinator determined to go after second-year pro Riley Moss until he proves he is a capable starter.
There will be moments, however, for Surtain to shine. Joseph can heat up the opposing quarterback, sending pressure from Moss’ side to force a team to look Surtain’s way. It is a nuanced wrinkle, but must be employed, starting with the opener at Seattle when Geno Smith will be tempted to squeeze a deep pass to DK Metcalf.
We don’t have to imagine this. We saw it against the Green Bay Packers’ starters in the scrimmage on Aug. 16. Jordan Love fired in his direction and Surtain broke up multiple throws to Romeo Doubs on a comeback route and then deflected a pass over the middle to Bo Melton. After the practice, Love called Surtain “the heart and soul” of the Broncos defense.
Named a captain on Wednesday, Surtain is that guy. When asked who his favorite player was the last two years, Justin Simmons always said Surtain without hesitation.
But his statistics are a reminder of a trend that must be reversed. His interception total has dropped from 4 to 2 to 1. This isn’t his fault. He has done his job with the consistency of a metronome. Consider this a plea for him to look for his spots to pursue a turnover over a deflection.
Bailey lived this existence. In 10 seasons with the Broncos, he averaged 3.4 interceptions, scored three touchdowns and forced five fumbles. He finished with fewer than two interceptions twice.
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This provides a template. The Broncos’ contract decisions are driven by whether a player will be here when they win again. Not only will Surtain be here, he will be a reason why they contend.
Surtain, remember, is the same age as quarterback Bo Nix. If Nix is the face of the franchise, Surtain is the face of the defense. He creates the standard with this excellence, his attention to detail.
Off the field, Surtain drips as the team’s best-dressed player.
The Broncos need a dose of that swag on the field. He earned his bucks, every last cent, leaving a simple request moving forward: Get more picks.
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