The Denver Broncos signed star cornerback Pat Surtain to a four-year, $96 million contract extension on Wednesday. That $24 million per year average will make Surtain the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history.
“It means a lot,” Sutton said after Wednesday’s practice. “First off, I would like to thank the whole Broncos organization, [and] my agent Tory Dandy for making it happen. It’s honestly surreal seeing the gratitude behind it and how much it means for this organization and for myself. I’m glad to be here for many years to come and looking to build on the future.”
Surtain received a $15 million signing bonus, and he’ll have a $21 million option bonus set to become guaranteed on March 31, 2025, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. He also has a $10 million option bonus in 2026.
The cornerback will receive $77.5 million in total guarantees — the most by a defensive back in NFL history — and $39.5 million will be paid within the first nine months, according to Florio.
“It means a lot, for sure, in that margin, but at the end of the day, I just focus on doing the best I can do on the field,” Surtain said of becoming the highest-paid cornerback. “Being the best version of myself each and every day. I don’t try to allow the pressure to get to me, I build off of it and just play the game that I play and love doing.”
Surtain is the second cornerback in franchise history to be named to multiple Pro Bowls (two) in his first three seasons, joining Hall of Famer Willie Brown, who spent the first four years of his career in Denver.
Surtain has also totaled double-digit pass breakups in each of his first three seasons, something no other Bronco has done since 1999.
Surtain still had two years left on his existing deal, so the Broncos did not have to get an extension done right now, but they wanted to.
“We had spent some time talking about it,” coach Sean Payton said. “I think both sides felt really good about the timing. We went ahead and did it. It’s securing a real young talented player that is at a position that’s hard to find.”
After adding four years onto his current deal, Surtain now basically has a six-year, $119.311 million contract. In terms of average salary on the extension, he is the highest-paid cornerback ever, but as the NFL’s salary cap continues to rise, PS2’s deal could turn into a bargain.
When Darrelle Revis signed a six-year, $96 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013, that was an average of $16 million per year contract. At the time, though, that represented 13% of the salary cap, as Spotrac.com’s Michael Ginnitti pointed out on Twitter/X. Surtain will earn $8 million more per season, but his deal takes up 9.4% of Denver’s cap.
Here are Surtain’s cap hits over the next six years, courtesy of OverTheCap.com:
2024: $9,669,983
2025: $8,370,000
2026: $17,332,000
2027: $26,700,000
2028: $29,700,000
2029: $30,700,000
Already recognized as the NFL’s best cornerback, Surtain now has a contract to reflect that title.
Over the last three months, the Broncos have given long-term extensions to their two best players — Surtain and guard Quinn Menerz, who had a four-year, $80 million extension added on to his existing deal. Surtain and Meinerz are now both signed through the duration of quarterback Bo Nix’s rookie contract, including his potential fifth-year option.
“I think those are good football decisions,” Payton said.
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