The Broncos have a number of veterans who could be of interest in trades. Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Garett Bolles, Justin Simmons and Josey Jewell reside among them. But Patrick Surtain may sit multiple tiers above his teammates as a potential trade chip.
Although previous reports have indicated the Broncos have no interest in moving their All-Pro cornerback, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes teams have called about the third-year defender. Surtain is signed through 2024, but the former top-10 pick will be locked down through 2025 once the Broncos pick up his fifth-year option by May.
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Then-rookie GM George Paton faced criticism after passing on Justin Fields at No. 9 overall in 2021, but the Surtain investment has doubled as the veteran exec’s best move with the Broncos. The second-generation NFL cornerback has been a revelation in Denver, sliding in as one of the league’s best defensive players. Surtain, 23, finished last season as a first-team All-Pro. While both Chris Harris and Aqib Talib earned that distinction in Denver in the years since Champ Bailey‘s retirement, neither was a candidate to become the NFL’s highest-paid corner. Surtain moved into that territory last season and remains the team’s cornerstone piece to start Sean Payton‘s HC tenure.
It is logical for teams to contact the Broncos on Surtain, seeing as they are 2-5 and starting a new era. Paton remains, but Payton is widely viewed as the top power broker in Denver now. Payton was in place when the Saints extended Marshon Lattimore; New Orleans paid Lattimore in September 2021, at the start of his fifth season. Surtain will become extension-eligible in January, though the Broncos having him under team control (via the fifth-year option) may delay a payment until 2025. Regardless of when Surtain is paid, he stands to become one of the NFL’s richest defenders.
Should the Broncos reverse course and consider dealing away their top player, a Jalen Ramsey-like package may be necessary to move the needle. The Rams sent the Jaguars two first-rounders for Ramsey in October 2019, ending a standoff between the fourth-year corner and the Jags. It cost the Buccaneers first- and fourth-rounders to acquire Darrelle Revis in 2013. In a different era (for running back value, at least), Denver needed to send Washington only running back Clinton Portis for Bailey and a second-round pick. That trade occurred in March 2004. Bailey spent 10 seasons in Denver, which added Harris near the end of the Hall of Famer’s run and signed Talib shortly after cutting Bailey. Surtain effectively took the baton soon after Harris’ exit and, barring a trade, should be expected to anchor Payton’s defenses beyond 2023.
Just. Say. No.
Why would the broncos even entertain trading an All-pro from a season ago??? He’s a building block for the future
Sean Payton is not a smart man and/or his ego thinks he’s a better team builder and evaluator of talent than the years of evidence have proven him NOT to be.
Not a smart man? I don’t see you out there, coaching an NFL team? He has a SB win under his belt. He turned Brees career around. Bad comment.
They’re not entertaining it, and he’s not going anywhere. Just because teams are dreaming of it and maybe even asking about it doesn’t mean they’d consider this for half a second. And we all just wasted 3 minutes thinking about it. 😉
Wouldn’t be that crazy to trade him if a team wanted him badly enough to beat the Ramsey package by a decent bit. He’s not a QB.
Because they’re need to recuperate picks from the Wilson trade and sean Payton picks they lost
2 1sts and $30 million a year, no thanks. Rather take a stab and get someone on a rookie deal
Cowboys would bite on this.
Doubtful after what they spent on Diggs. More likely they go with a young (and cheaper) player opposite him in the coming years.
Surtain is young, but definitely not cheaper. These writers continue to throw out these hypothetical situations as if they were actually going to occur. It’s their Christmas wish list.
No, he’s not a QB, but he is, however, the best player on the Broncos roster. He’s not going anywhere. If Denver traded him, the fans would run Paton and Payton, out of town on a rail.
Surtain will not be traded. This is a storyline invented by Breer. If other teams DID inquire about Surtain, Denver would never bite. He is Denvers best player. You don’t build a future by trading your very best player. Too hilarious to even take seriously.