After speculation about whether the Denver Broncos would extend or trade their star cornerback Pat Surtain, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported this morning a deal was in place. According to this report, the team and Surtain agreed on a four-year extension worth $96 million with $77.5 million guaranteed. His yearly salary is now $24 million, making him the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL, beating Antoine Winfield Jr. of the Tampa Bay Bucs who has an average of salary of $21.025 million per season.
When this deal is signed, it will bring the total spent on Alabama Crimson Tide players from their 2018 team to $1.175 billion. Combining deals of players like Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts, Trevon Diggs, Quinnen Williams, and many others, NFL teams have paid these guys over 1 billion dollars.
The money in Surtain’s case is well deserved. In his three years in Denver, he has 7 interceptions and 150 tackles, while being the team’s captain and without argument the team’s best defensive player.
The debate centers around whether Surtain is the NFL’s best corner. When asked if he sees himself as the best the league has to offer, he said, “Of course I’m going to see myself in that regard. I definitely take that role upon my shoulders, for sure, but everybody is going to have their own opinions about it. At the end of the day, I’m just here to play my game and do what’s best for the team.”
Surtain will have a chance to prove that this week as he’ll be responsible for guarding one of the NFL’s best receivers in DK Metcalf on Sunday.
