The Denver Broncos have continually pushed back pubicly at the idea that star cornerback Patrick Surtain II could be on the trade block.
Rumors suggested earlier in the offseason that the former No. 1 pick from Alabama could be dealt rather than Denver making him one of the highet-paid players at his position in the NFL.
Surtain II, 24, had one more year remaining on his rookie contract with a team option worth $19.80 million before Tuesday’s news.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Denver has indeed picked up that team option on the Pro Bowl defensive back.
This was pretty much a no-brainer for the Broncos. In just three NFL seasons, Surtain II has proven himself to be among the best cover guys in the league. This past season saw him yield a 59.3% completion and 88.2 QB rating when targeted.
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Denver Broncos put an end to Patrick Surtain trade rumors
By making this move immediately ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, general manager George Paton and the Broncos are clearly telling us something. Surtain II is not on the trade block.
There were reports earlier in the offseason that Denver might use Surtain II as a trade chip in order to move up from the 12th pick for a quarterback.
Sure, Denver is still being talked about as a potential trade-up partner for a team in the top five. But said deal now likely won’t include Surtain.