Broncos Receive Promising Injury News on Pat Surtain II

The Denver Broncos have received some extremely great news on their bye week. 

As Sports Illustrated noted, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Pat Surtain II is trending toward a Week 13 return against the Washington Commanders. 

Fresh off a statement win over the Kansas City Chiefs and now receiving encouraging updates on their superstar corner, life could not be better for Denver. 

It’s the timeline Denver had targeted for weeks, and the team’s optimism has only grown.

“Broncos are optimistic that CB Patrick Surtain can make it back into the lineup Week 12 (post bye),” Fowler reported. 

He noted that Surtain has made great progress working his way back from a pectoral injury. 

For a Broncos team sitting at 9-2 and eyeing a deep postseason run, the timing couldn’t be better.

Surtain’s Injury, Recovery Timeline, and Expected Return

Surtain has been sidelined since suffering a pectoral injury during Denver’s Week 8 blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys. 

He exited before halftime and has not returned since. 

As the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, his absence was immediately felt in the secondary. 

Denver quickly identified the Week 12 bye as the most realistic “reset point” in his recovery and that is where all signs point toward. 

The star corner has missed the last three games, but the Broncos stuck to a conservative plan.

The belief that he would return right before or just after the bye week

Now, barring setbacks, Surtain is expected to rejoin the lineup for Denver’s Week 13 matchup against Washington.  

This game opens a critical four-game stretch including the Packers, Jaguars, and Chargers.

What Surtain’s Return Means for the Broncos’ Defense

Denver’s defense has held strong without Surtain. 

In three games, the defense only allowed an average of 13.66 points per game. 

Riley Moss elevated his play in Surtain’s absence, ranking 26th among all cornerbacks in that span. 

The Broncos were able to generate pressure with creative disguises and timely blitzes as they had 10 sacks in the three games. 

But adding the shutdown cornerback back into the mix fundamentally changes what Denver can do schematically.

Surtain’s presence allows Joseph to be more aggressive with blitz packages because the defense can allocate fewer resources to his side of the field.

Coverage shells like Cover 6, Cover 1, and Cover 3 become far more unpredictable when Surtain can lock down top receivers one on one. 

With Surtain back, the Broncos can tilt coverages toward the opponent’s second and third options.

This forces quicker decisions, and accelerate the pass rush even more than they have already had. 

Throughout all of 2024, Surtain was the most infrequently targeted corner. 

He has allowed an opposing passer rating of just 52.2 in 2024, and a rating of just 39.1 in 2025. 

Opposing quarterbacks have a lower passer rating when targeting him than any quarterback had with over 200 attempts this season. 

Adding the reigning DPOY back into a defense that already ranks top five in most categories puts the Broncos in a strong position to make a serious playoff push.

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