Tag: Pat Surtain

Report: NFL teams think Broncos could trade Pat Surtain

The Athletic reports that some NFL teams think the Broncos might be willing to trade CB Pat Surtain in order to trade up for a top QB.

With the start of the 2024 NFL draft just one day away, smokescreen season has kicked into high gear. Everything reported at this time of year should be taken with a grain of salt because it’s hard to gauge what’s real and what’s posturing from teams hoping to influence who falls to them on draft day.

With that said, there have been rumblings for months that the Denver Broncos might attempt to trade up during the draft to land one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s class. Moving up from pick No. 12 into the top five would be costly, and teams moving down will likely ask for Denver’s most valuable trade asset: cornerback Pat Surtain.

Speculation intensified on Wednesday when The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini wrote that “[m]ost teams picking in the top five believe the Broncos could make a big swing with a package that could even include star cornerback and fifth-year option pickup Pat Surtain II and more players on expiring deals if Payton’s true love is there.”

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5375″ ]

It’s important to note that Russini is reporting what other teams think Denver might be willing to do. She’s not reporting that the Broncos are planning to trade Surtain, but other clubs think such a scenario is a possibility. Indeed, such a scenario is possible, but the suggestion that Surtain could be traded is just speculation at this point.

We’ll find out for sure when the draft begins tomorrow night.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos exercise Pat Surtain’s 5th-year option for 2025 season

The Broncos have picked up Pat Surtain’s fifth-year option. He’ll now earn about $19.8 million in 2025.

The Denver Broncos have picked up cornerback Pat Surtain’s fifth-year option for the 2025 NFL season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Next week (May 2) was the deadline to exercise the option.

Surtain, 24, had one year remaining on his rookie contract before Denver exercised the option for next year. Surtain is set to earn about $3.5 million in 2024. He’ll get a big raise in 2025 as the fifth-year option is projected to be worth about $19.8 million.

Every player picked in the first round has a team option for a fifth season. The cost of that option depends on the player’s position, playing time and Pro Bowl selections.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5375″ ]

Surtain’s basic salary would have been around $12.4 million if he did not meet any of the following incentives: playing time ($13.3 million), one Pro Bowl ($17.2 million) or two Pro Bowls ($19.8 million), according to NFL Network.

Surtain maxed out his potential earnings by playing 95% of the team’s defensive snaps and earning two Pro Bowl nods in his first three seasons. The star cornerback is now under contract for at least two more years, and the Broncos will likely work on a long-term extension next.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Picking up Pat Surtain’s 5th-year option should be an easy decision for Broncos

“That’s one of the easier decisions we’ll make,” Broncos GM George Paton said of the team’s upcoming decision on CB Pat Surtain.

As a player picked in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain is eligible to receive a fifth-year contract option for the 2025 season worth $19,802,000.

Denver will likely pick up the option, but the deadline is not until May 2, so there’s no rush.

“Yeah, we’ll look into it,” general manager George Paton said at the NFL combine in February. “We have a lot going on before that, we have free agency then we have the draft. Pat is going to be here.

“Obviously, we value Pat, and we’ll see where that goes. We’ll work on that. I would say it’s pretty close. That’s an easy one. That’s one of the easier decisions we’ll make.”

The Broncos are a bit busy at the moment with NFL free agency, and as Paton noted, the NFL draft will follow next month. Once the offseason frenzy starts to die down, picking up Surtain’s fifth-year option should be an easy decision for Denver.

Eventually, the Broncos will work on a long-term extension for Patrick, perhaps getting a deal done before the fifth-year option even kicks in. First things, first, though, Denver will likely secure the 2025 season by picking up his option before May 2.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Available free agent cornerbacks for the Broncos in 2024

The Broncos need to add a starting-caliber cornerback to pair with Pat Surtain in 2024.

The Denver Broncos have one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in Pat Surtain, but they need to find a quality CB2 to pair with him.

The Broncos initially planned to start Damarri Mathis across from Surtain in 2023, but he struggled and was benched. Denver replaced Mathis in the starting lineup with veteran Fabian Moreau, who is now set to become a free agent.

Either through free agency or the draft, the Broncos need to add a starting-caliber cornerback this offseason. So we’ve put together a quick list of 13 cornerbacks that Denver should consider during free agency next week.

Broncos met with CB Terrion Arnold at the NFL combine

Terrion Arnold is widely considered the best cornerback in this year’s class and he might be available when the Broncos pick at No. 12.

The Denver Broncos met with Alabama’s Terrion Arnold at the NFL combine last week, the cornerback confirmed during his media availability in Indianapolis.

Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain played for the Crimson Tide from 2018-2020. They did not overlap in college, but Arnold (2021-2023) would love to play with Surtain in the NFL.

“You would have somebody at the next level that you could look at that would challenge you, push you to be better,” Arnold said last Thursday, via Andrew Mason of DenverSports.com. “I mean, he’s already proven in the NFL. So I would love to do that if I have the opportunity to do that.”

Arnold (6-0, 189 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds at the combine. He earned first-team All-American recognition as a junior last fall after totaling 63 tackles, 12 pass breakups, five interceptions and one sack.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has compared Arnold to Marshon Lattimore, a four-time Pro Bowler with the New Orleans Saints. Draft Wire has Arnold ranked as the No. 1 cornerback in this year’s class.

Denver currently holds sixth draft picks and Arnold might be available when the Broncos are scheduled to pick 12th overall in the first round. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

10 Broncos players who deserve contract extensions

These 10 players are scheduled to become free agents in 2025. The Broncos should consider re-signing them before they hit the open market.

With NFL free agency just over one week away, the Denver Broncos are about $14 million over the salary cap. Denver will need to make some roster moves and restructure a few contracts to get under the cap and create enough room to re-sign some of the team’s key in-house free agents.

Before anything else, the Broncos will worry about their in-house players and then pending free agents from other teams. The bulk of the league’s big signings will happen within the first wave of free agency, then things will then start to slow down.

Denver probably won’t have a lot of cap space to work with, so the team’s signings will be calculated, and perhaps minimal. Once the Broncos have wrapped up the bulk of their 2024 signings, attention will turn to potential extensions for players set to become free agents in 2025.

There’s always something on deck in the NFL.

Here’s a quick look ahead to 10 Denver players scheduled to become free agents in 2025 who deserve contract extensions from the Broncos.

5 players the Broncos could trade to create salary cap space

The Broncos might receive trade interest in these five veterans this spring.

The Denver Broncos currently hold just six draft picks and they are projected to be $24 million over the salary cap. The Broncos could address both of those dilemmas through trades this spring, freeing up cap space and acquiring more draft capital by parting ways with pricy veterans.

Pat Surtain likely has the most trade value on Denver’s roster, but he is the club’s best player and still playing on a team-friendly rookie contract. The Broncos seem unlikely to trade Surtain (perhaps unless they attempt to trade up for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft).

We didn’t include Surtain on this list because he is young and affordable, exactly the kind of player Denver should build around. Barring a blockbuster move for a top quarterback prospect, PS2 is presumably safe.

These five other players could be available, though. The Broncos might not draw much interest for a few of them, but the team would probably be willing to part with any of them — if the price is right.

Potential salary cap savings provided by OverTheCap.com. 

If the Broncos trade for a top QB, Pat Surtain might be involved

Look, nobody wants to part with Pat Surtain. But if it’s the only way the Broncos can land a top quarterback, the team might have to do it.

The Denver Broncos would love to land a top quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft, every QB-needy team would.

But the Broncos won’t pick until 12th overall, and the top three QBs in this year’s class are expected to go off the board right at the top of the draft. So if Denver wants to land a top QB, the team will need to trade up.

The Broncos have first- and second-round picks in this year’s draft, but that wouldn’t be enough for a top-three pick in April. Denver can also trade future picks, but any team negotiating with the Broncos will likely ask for cornerback Pat Surtain.

That doesn’t mean Denver has to entertain the possibility of trading Surtain, but if the Broncos attempt to trade up for a top pick, PS2 will be one of the team’s most valuable trade assets, and teams will want him included.

So, what would it take to move from No. 12 overall to No. 1 overall? ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently projected potential trades for teams who could move up for a QB. This is what he estimated for Denver: Surtain, pick No. 12 and 2025 second- and third-round picks.

No fans want the Broncos to part with Surtain, who is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. But if coach Sean Payton is convinced his favorite QB in this year’s class can turn the franchise around, a potential trade will involve tough decisions.

Giving up first-, second- and third-round picks plus Surtain would be worth it if the QB turns out to be a star who leads the team to postseason glory. Nothing is certain in the NFL draft, though, and for every franchise QB there are often multiple busts in almost every class.

Trading Surtain in order to draft a top QB prospect would be a big risk. But Denver has missed the playoffs in eight straight seasons following Peyton Manning’s retirement and Payton will want to get the team back on track quickly. The fastest way to turn a team around is securing the right QB.

An ideal scenario would be keeping PS2 and landing a top QB in April. That might not be a realistic scenario, though. If it’s an either-or situation, the Broncos might have to make a tough decision and part with their star cornerback in hopes of finally landing a star quarterback.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Pat Surtain grabs pick-6, but AFC falls to NFC in 2024 Pro Bowl (highlights)

The AFC lost to the NFC on Sunday, but Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain made a big play in the flag football game.

After a successful switch to a flag football format in 2023, Peyton Manning (AFC) and Eli Manning (NFC) returned to coach their respective conferences at the 2024 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando this week.

Peyton’s AFC squad won Sunday’s flag football game 50-34, but with points from skills competitions added in, Eli’s NFC won the 2024 Pro Bowl Games with a cumulative overall score of 64-59. Eli’s NFC also defeated Peyton’s AFC last year with a cumulative score of 35-33.

The Denver Broncos were represented by cornerback Pat Surtain, safety Justin Simmons and wide receiver Marvin Mims at this year’s Pro Bowl. Check out some of the top moments from Pro Bowl week below.

How to watch and stream the 2024 Pro Bowl

This year’s Pro Bowl will be televised on ESPN and ABC. Peyton Manning (AFC) and Eli Manning (NFC) have returned to coach their conferences.

The 2024 Pro Bowl will be played at Camping World Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 1:00 p.m. MT. The flag football game will be televised on ESPN, ABC, Disney XD, and ESPN Deportes. Fans can stream the game on ESPN+, NFL+ or fuboTV (try it free).

Peyton Manning (AFC) and Eli Manning (NFC) have returned to serve as the head coaches of their respective conferences. The Denver Broncos will have three players starting for the AFC: Justin Simmons (safety), Pat Surtain (cornerback) and Marvin Mims (returner).

In addition to the flag football game, the 2024 Pro Bowl Games will also feature the following four skills competitions on Sunday:

  • Madden NFL Head-to-Head: For the fourth consecutive year, EA SPORTS will host the Madden NFL Head-to-Head Pro Bowl Games event. Two players will represent the NFC and defend their title against the AFC played in Madden NFL 24 using the official 2024 Pro Bowl Games rosters. New this year, the winning team will earn their conference three points.
  • Gridiron Gauntlet: A full-field relay race between six AFC players and six NFC players who show off their athletic prowess in a challenging obstacle course. They’ll break through walls and crawl under doors, among other obstacles, to get to the final sled push across the field with the ultimate goal of finishing first. The winning team will earn their conference three points.
  • Tug-of-War: New this year, Tug-of-War is a five-on-five demonstration of teamwork, strength and strategy. Positioned above a foam pit, players are challenged to pull backwards on the rope, attempting to move the opposing team in their direction. The competition will be the best of three, and the winner who pulls the opposing team across the marker twice gains three points.
  •  Move the Chains: This offensive and defensive linemen strength and speed competition takes strategy and teamwork. Each team of five players must work together to move 3,000 pounds of weights off a massive wall and be the first team to pull that 2,000-pound wall across the finish line. The winner will earn three points for their conference.

The Pro Bowl switched to a flag football and skills competitions format last year and Eli’s NFC defeated Peyton’s AFC with a cumulative winning score of 35-33. Last year, members of the winning team received $88,000 and players from the losing team earned $42,000.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]