Broncos Star CB Could ‘Walk’ in 2026 Without Big Extension: ESPN

The Denver Broncos know they have one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks in Patrick Surtain II. They also know in order to keep Surtain, who turned 24 years old in April, they’re going to have to pay up.

ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote that Surtain is in line for a big payday as the Broncos determine whether to give him a contract extension.

“The team’s first-round pick in 2021, Surtain is under contract through the 2025 season,” Legwold wrote in a May 28 story on 20 big-name players with contractual uncertainty. “And with two Pro Bowl selections to go with a first-team All-Pro selection in Surtain’s first three years in the league, the Broncos certainly are intent on securing him to a long-term deal.”

The ESPN story pointed out that Surtain and the other players could “walk” without huge deals.

“They clearly will have to make Surtain one of the highest paid cornerbacks in the league … especially if they want to entice him to sign before a chance at the open market,” Legwold wrote.

Surtain, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, signed a 4-year, $20.9 million contract extension as a rookie. On April 24, the Broncos picked up the fifth-year option on his contract, which will pay him $19.8 million in 2025.

General manager George Paton has indicated the Broncos want to retain Surtain in the long term.

“We’re all big fans of Pat,” he told reporters in January. “We’re going to have a big meeting in a couple of weeks, and kind of go through the entire roster for Pat included. But we want Pat here for a long time.”

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One Problem for Broncos: They’ve Been Terrible

One thing the Broncos have working against them when it comes to bringing back Surtain is that they have been bad over most of the last decade.

Denver hasn’t made it to the postseason since winning the Super Bowl following the 2015 season and hasn’t had a winning season since going 9-7 in 2016.

“The Broncos also will have to show Surtain they are on the right track to end the string of eight consecutive playoff misses,” Legwold wrote. “Surtain spent plenty of time in the defensive backs meeting room with Justin Simmons, who did not participate in a playoff game during his eight years with the team. It is the first real free agency test for the Walton-Penner ownership to retain one of the team’s best players and not simply spend big on those from elsewhere.”

Denver’s current streak of eight seasons without making the postseason is the longest since the franchise went 17 seasons without making the playoffs — from its first season in the AFL in 1960 until they made it to their first Super Bowl following the 1977 season.

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How Much Will Broncos Have to Pay Surtain?

Surtain has established himself as one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks over his first three seasons. He made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2021, made first-team NFL All-Pro in 2022 and is a two-time Pro Bowler in 2022 and 2023.

Those facts alone mean he will be very, very rich when he does finally get his contract extension.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander is currently the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback in terms of annual average salary at $21 million per season, part of a 4-year, $84 million contract extension signed in March 2022.

In terms of overall money, Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward has the biggest overall deal in terms of money with a 5-year, $100.5 million contract signed in April 2022.

Two years later, it’s safe to say Surtain’s next deal will exceed both Alexander’s and Ward’s — in terms of overall money and annual salary.

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