Latest mega-deal for CB proves the Broncos have Patrick Surtain for a steal

The Denver Broncos have the best CB in the NFL in Patrick Surtain II, but one of the best in the game just got a huge deal.

Surtain won the Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2024 NFL Season, so he is, by definition, the best defensive player in the league until further notice. The Broncos defense was arguably the best in the league in 2024, and much of that was due to Surtain.

Well, there has been a debate for multiple years now on if Sauce Gardner is actually the better CB over Surtain. Right now, the momentum is with PS2, but the young Gardner did just sign a huge contract extension with the New York Jets, and he's got at least one advantage over Surtain in that regard...

Gardner's deal makes Surtain's with the Broncos a massive steal

Here are the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL on a per-year basis:

Sauce Gardner is now the top at $30.1 million per year, and Surtain is now all the way down at $24 million per year, but as we know, when Surtain signed his deal, he became the highest-paid at his position. This is a normal thing for the top of the market contract for any position.

The top player at the position due for a deal are typically wanting to reset the market on a per-year basis, as that is typically what is looked at when we evaluate the highest-paid players.

With Patrick Surtain still being so young entering his fifth season in the NFL, there is reason to believe that the Denver Broncos could revisit his deal a couple of years for now and perhaps again make him the highest-paid. You just never know - the next time Denver and Surtain engage in extension talks, the starting price could be near $35 million per season.