Paton: 'Broncos Want Patrick Surtain II Here For a Long Time'
For the first time in his young but already-decorated career, Patrick Surtain II is eligible for a contract extension that likely will put him among the highest-paid at his position — perhaps the highest-paid.
And, salary cap be damned, the Denver Broncos appear willing to hit the negotiating table with its All-Pro cornerback. Eventually.
“We’re all big fans of Pat," general manager George Paton said at Monday's season-ending press conference. "I think [Head Coach] Sean [Payton] said it. We’re going to have a big meeting in a couple weeks and go through the entire roster, Pat included. We want Pat here for a long time, but I’m not prepared to make any statements on anything moving forward.”
Although he experienced a down year by his lofty standards, grading out as Pro Football Focus' 44th-ranked CB among 128 qualifiers, Surtain nevertheless led Denver in pass breakups (12) and scored his second-career Pro Bowl nod. He, too, was selected to the NFL Players Association All-Pro team by a vote of his peers.
A 2021 first-round pick, Surtain, 23, is entering the penultimate season of his rookie deal, owed just $1.05 million in base salary and scheduled to count $6.6 million against the cap. The club also has at its disposal his fifth-year option for 2025, which could be exercised if contract talks don't materialize.
If they do, Surtain may seek to become the richest corner in league history, surpassing Cleveland's Denzel Ward. The monetary floor is likely the five-year, $94 million pact ($42.3 million guaranteed) that Dallas' Trevon Diggs inked last July — a windfall that Surtain admittedly eyed.
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