Why Surtain is Confident Broncos Overcome Loss of S PJ Locke

Quietly, the Denver Broncos' secondary suffered a considerable loss this offseason with the departure of safety PJ Locke, who landed a one-year, $5 million contract from the Dallas Cowboys in free agency.

The Broncos added S Tycen Anderson during the league's signing period, but he's almost strictly a special-teams contributor. The club also drafted seventh-round S Miles Scott, but he's hardly a lock to make the 53-man roster.

So how will Denver replace Locke? By letting the young talent sort itself out — same as it did before.

“We have a lot of great pieces to fill that void," star cornerback Patrick Surtain II told reporters Tuesday as veterans reported to training camp. "Obviously P.J. was a great player, a very instrumental part to our team. So obviously you know you have JL, Devon Key, and a couple other guys to step up and fulfill that spot. So I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a fun camp.”

As Surtain alluded, there is not yet a clear favorite to step into Locke's old role as the top backup/spot-starter behind incumbent veterans Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones, who's returning from a season-ending pectoral injury.

When camp kicks off in full swing later this week, it'll be Anderson, Scott, All-Pro special-teamer Devon Key, fourth-year pro JL Skinner, and former undrafted Parker Robertson vying for the No. 3 safety position.

And may the best man win. Fortunately, the best player on the defense feels that'll happen organically, in due time.

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) catches a pass while Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke (6) trails in coverage. — Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) puts his hands up and catches successfully the pass while Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke (6) keeps pace with him during the second half of the Buffalo Bills wild card game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 12, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Same Goes for the D-Line

Locke isn't the only player the Broncos are looking to replace in 2026; they're also opening a competition at defensive end, where John Franklin-Myers roamed the last few years. Franklin-Myers defected to the Tennessee Titans in March on a $63 million arrangement.

Battling for the title will be sophomore DE Sai'vion Jones, third-round rookie Tyler Onyedim, and 2022 fourth-rounder Eyioma Uwazurike. Denver will also get production from vet linemen DJ Jones and Malcolm Roach.

The hope is that the aforementioned will be the sum of their parts — that two or three can comprise one Franklin-Myers. Another area in which Surtain expressed confidence.

“That's part of the business, as they say. Obviously when great players leave, you have to count on other guys to step up," he told reporters. "Like you mentioned, Sai’vion, and ‘Enyi’ (Uwazurike) all of those guys, they've been working very hard. Obviously Sai’vion, a young guy stepping up last year in his role. And ‘Enyi’, he’s been a baller as well, stepping up in his role too, year-in and year-out. So I feel like the expectations stay the same even when ‘JFM’ (Franklin-Myers) was here. I know that room holds each other to high standards, and I feel like they expect the same out of both those two.”

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