Getty The Dallas Cowboys had an interest in Patrick Surtain II heading into the 2021 NFL draft.
The million dollar question (or potentially a $20 million question) for the Dallas Cowboys is whether the team will strike a trade for a veteran cornerback to help replace Trevon Diggs. Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher explored the potential for the Cowboys to make a move for Denver Broncos star Pat Surtain, who the team was linked to heading into the 2021 NFL draft.
Surtain has been a name floated in trade rumors given the Broncos woeful start to the season. Surtain’s father Pat Surtain Sr. took to social media following the Broncos defense giving up 70 points to the Dolphins and implied that his son could use a change of scenery.
“As CowboysSI.com reported exclusively at the time, Dallas was calling Miami in an attempt to move up into the top four spots in order to chase a cornerback, Surtain or Horn,” Fisher wrote on September 28, 2023. “(And Dad loved the idea, calling his son and Dallas “a perfect fit. The Cowboys, unable to pull off that deal, engineered their way to drafting Micah Parsons, which worked out quite well.)
“So yes, Dallas had a superior grade on Surtain, who played at Alabama, as did Diggs.”
Surtain’s four-year, $20.9 million rookie deal runs through the 2024 season, and Denver also has the chance to pick up the defender’s fifth-year option for 2025. The corner graded a stellar 86.8 (out of 100) by Pro Football Focus in 2022 but this number is down to 70.3 through the first three games of this season.
Are the Dallas Cowboys Willing to Trade 2 First-Round Picks to the Denver Broncos?
Similar to the Kyle Pitts chatter, Dallas had pre-draft interest in Surtain but missing out on the corner turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the team landed Micah Parsons at No. 12. Just because the Cowboys had an interest in Surtain coming out of Alabama does not mean Dallas is willing to give up significant draft capital in order to trade for the defender.
The Athletic’s Nick Cosmider believes Surtain is the Broncos’ most valuable trade chip speculating that Denver could command a similar deal to what the Jaguars secured from the Rams for Jalen Ramsey. There is little chance the Cowboys are willing to give up two first-round picks for Surtain, especially after signing Diggs to a $97 million extension.
“The player who would undoubtedly produce the biggest return in a trade is Surtain, the All-Pro corner who has established himself as one of the best players at his position in the NFL in just his third season,” Cosmider detailed on September 26. “… The Jacksonville Jaguars received two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder when they traded another young All-Pro cornerback, Jalen Ramsey, to the Rams in 2019.”
Denver Broncos Star Patrick Surtain Remains an Unlikely Trade Target for the Dallas Cowboys
Fisher ultimately labels a deal for Surtain as unlikely for Dallas (even if Denver was willing to trade the star) for two key reasons. The most obvious is the requisite draft picks mentioned above, but there is also the reality that Surtain is headed for a similar payday as Diggs just earned.
The Cowboys still have additional players like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons that will need new contracts in the coming years. Fisher leaves the door open for owner Jerry Jones to act against logic if he feels this is the season to finally return to the Super Bowl.
“Two first-round picks!? Jerry Jones would never do that … right?” Fisher added. “Right. Except … after that ‘F Them Picks!’ Rams team did it – fully knowing that going ‘all-in’ would damage their future cap balance – Jalen Ramsey helped them go to two Super Bowls in the next four years. Just sayin’.”