Broncos’ Pat Surtain II’s Contract Tabbed as ‘Bargain’ originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II was made the highest-paid defensive back in NFL History last season, but it is now being described as a significantly team-friendly deal.  

According to NFL insider Dan Graziano of ESPN, Surtain inked a four-year, $96 million deal ahead of the 2024 season. That averages out to $24 million per season, making him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. Oh, and he went on the win the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

“It looks as if the Broncos got a bargain,” Graziano said.

The NFL insider believes the deal is particularly good for the Broncos because the Carolina Panthers’ Jaycee Horn and Houston Texans’ Derek Stingley each went on to sign deals worth more money.

“You could make the case that Surtain did his deal too early or that Horn was smart to wait, but looking at the two deals next to each other makes you scratch your head.”

Surtain was well-compensated, but the structure of the contract gives Denver room to breathe. The guarantees slowly shrink as years progress, giving the franchise more control over cap space when it comes time to pay someone like Bo Nix.

“Surtain’s deal turned out to be great for the Broncos, who probably confront a need to give him a raise if he keeps playing the way he has been playing and the cornerback market continues to race past him,” Graziano said.

Denver locked up a corner who not only ranks among the league’s best but also did so in a cost-efficient way. In the cap-conscious NFL, that’s the best kind of team-friendly contract.

Related: Former NFL QB Says Broncos’ Sean Payton Is Entering ‘Prove-It’ Year

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.

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