The Denver Broncos have announced another concerning injury update for star cornerback Pat Surtain II, who remains sidelined ahead of Thursday’s matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
According to the Broncos’ official injury report released Tuesday, October 13, Surtain was listed as a nonparticipant for the second consecutive day as he continues recovering from an ankle injury.
Denver held a walkthrough Tuesday, meaning the designation was an estimation of what Surtain’s participation would have been during a traditional practice.
The update follows Surtain’s absence from Sunday’s 23-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. With just one day remaining before Denver must announce final game designations, his availability against Seattle is looking increasingly uncertain.
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Broncos Star Pat Surtain II Still Recovering From Ankle Injury
Surtain suffered his injury during the Broncos’ Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, exiting the game in the second quarter after suffering a non-contact ankle injury.
Initial concerns about the severity of the injury were alleviated after further examination, although Denver was still preparing for an extended absence.
On October 5, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Surtain was considered “week-to-week,” with one source anticipating an absence of approximately two weeks.
That timeline would put his availability for Thursday’s game in doubt, although the Broncos have not officially ruled him out.
Denver has reason to be cautious with the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Surtain is a foundational piece of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s system, providing the Broncos with the flexibility to deploy aggressive coverage schemes while regularly matching up against opposing teams’ top receivers.
His absence would be especially significant against a Seattle offense featuring quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp.
So, short term, as @RapSheet said, but the All-Pro corner likely to miss some time.
Broncos Dealing With Multiple Injuries in Secondary
Unfortunately for Denver, Surtain isn’t the only defensive starter facing an uncertain outlook for Thursday Night Football.
Safety Talanoa Hufanga was also listed as a nonparticipant Tuesday as he recovers from an ankle injury suffered during Sunday’s victory over the Chargers.
Meanwhile, starting cornerback Riley Moss, who missed the Chargers game with a rib injury, was listed as a limited participant for the second consecutive day.
That puts three starting defensive backs on the Broncos’ injury report just two days before their matchup with Seattle.
Denver was forced to lean on Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine at cornerback against Los Angeles, with the two filling in for Surtain and Moss.
Safety Devon Key also stepped into a larger role after Hufanga exited Sunday’s game.
Despite those absences, Denver’s defense helped secure a road victory over the Chargers, making key stops against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles offense.
But Seattle presents another significant test.
Without Surtain, Joseph loses the luxury of assigning one of the NFL’s premier coverage defenders to the opposing team’s most dangerous receiver. Should Moss and Hufanga also be unavailable, the Broncos would be relying on multiple backups to contain Seattle’s passing attack.
The Broncos did receive some encouraging news elsewhere on Tuesday’s injury report, with guard Ben Powers (biceps) and safety Brandon Jones (foot) both listed as full participants.
Denver will announce final injury designations Wednesday ahead of its October 15 matchup against the Seahawks, scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
Until then, Surtain’s continued absence leaves one of the Broncos’ most important defensive players facing considerable uncertainty.
Denver Broncos Make Pat Surtain II Announcement Before Seahawks Game