3 players the Denver Broncos cannot afford to lose the rest of 2022

Player no. 2 the Denver Broncos cannot lose: Pat Surtain II, CB

A year ago, there were a lot of legitimate NFL reporters and media members laughing at George Paton for saying that it was harder to find guys like Pat Surtain than franchise QBs. People took Paton’s comments as saying that the CB position was more valuable than QB, which couldn’t have been further from the truth or more out of context. A year and change into Surtain’s career and I think a lot of people can see what Paton was getting at.

Those same analysts that scoffed at Paton’s decision to pass on Justin Fields and Mac Jones for Pat Surtain are now calling Surtain the best cornerback in the NFL, which he may very well be. With his combination of size, speed, technique, and instincts, Surtain might be the most irreplaceable player on the Broncos’ roster.

He’s the team’s best defensive player. He’s arguably the best corner in the game right now. Having Surtain on the field gives the Denver Broncos peace of mind going into every matchup that no matter who he is covering, it’s going to be mostly a waste of time for the opposing team to try and test him.

Surtain is playing out of his mind right now and the Broncos know they can match him up against anybody. He’s already been outstanding over his first two NFL seasons with matchup against guys like Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, Ja’Marr Chase, and many more. He’s been up to the task for every single one.

If the Broncos were to lose Pat Surtain II, they have guys that could step into the starting cornerback role but they have nobody on the roster who can do what Surtain does on a weekly basis.