Pat Surtain: Everything you need to know

Denver agreed Tuesday to give Surtain a $5 million raise with an additional $5 million incentive for a Pro Bowl or All-Pro selection, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Surtain is now officially in the first year of the four-year, $96 million contract extension he signed with the Broncos back in September of 2024, so the pay bump is not a huge change. If Denver is able to again field one of football's top defenses in 2026, Surtain, who is coming off his fourth straight Pro Bowl season, will probably again be one of the biggest reasons why.

Surtain finished the 2025 regular season with 47 tackles (37 solo) and 12 passes defensed, including one interception, across 14 regular-season games. Surtain had another strong season in 2025, although his one interception tied a career low for the veteran cornerback. The 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year produced similar numbers last season, but the decrease in interceptions is not the product of diminished skill. Instead, opposing quarterbacks avoided targeting him based on his abilities as a shutdown corner. In addition, the 25-year-old missed three games in the middle of the season due to a pectoral injury. Surtain is under contract with the Broncos through the 2029 season, so he'll continue to be one of the best defenders on a formidable defense for the foreseeable future.

Surtain (pectoral) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Commanders. Surtain capped off the week with full practices Thursday and Friday and is ready to go for Sunday night's primetime matchup with the Commanders. The outside cornerback missed just one defensive snap in eight weeks of play before his early exit versus the Cowboys in Week 8. The return of the star will bolster an already strong Broncos defense as they attempt to secure a high seed in the AFC.