GettyPat Surtain II #2 of the Denver Broncos.
The Denver Broncos need a bookend for standout cornerback Pat Surtain II.
They hope second-year man Riley Moss is the answer. The Broncos traded up in the third round of the 2023 draft to select him.
There remains a strong possibility that the best option is not yet on the roster and that the Broncos are in position to land him when the opportunity officially arises. That will not be until the 2025 draft at the earliest, when Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter can enter.
“Travis is one of one,” Surtain posted on X on August 29. “Neva seen anything like it.”
Hunter is a two-way star, shining both at cornerback and wide receiver. He put both skill sets on display in Colorado’s win over North Dakota State University on August 29.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound athlete played 124 snaps (55 on offense and 69 on defense). He finished the game with three catches allowed for 18 total yards, per Pro Football Focus. He also had seven receptions for 132 yards including this one through the back of a handsy defender.
RIDICULOUS TD CATCH 😱
Make that three touchdowns for Travis Hunter tonight 🔥
Hunter is strong in run support and an elite defensive playmaker.
Getting him might require landing the No. 1 overall pick where teammate and Buffloes QB Shedeur Sanders could also be a candidate in Griffin’s opinion.
Tankathon projects the Broncos to pick No. 3 overall in the 2025 draft behind the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots. Those two teams have taken first-round quarterbacks in recent drafts.
Another team could also try offering a haul to one of them to move up for Hunter.
NFL Players Rave About Travis Hunter
GettyTravis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes.
Surtain was hardly alone in his praise for Hunter. Several current and former NFL players also speak highly of the young star.
“Travis Hunter keeps showing that he can and he SHOULD play both WR and CB in the NFL FULL TIME,” former NFL QB Robert Griffin III posted on X after the game. “Man had 7 catches for 132 yards and 3 TDS at WR AND played 43 snaps on defense making tackles and locking down his side of the field.
“He is a UNICORN.”
Travis Hunter keeps showing that he can and he SHOULD play both WR and CB in the NFL FULL TIME.
Man had 7 catches for 132 yards and 3 TDS at WR AND played 43 snaps on defense making tackles and locking down his side of the field.
He is a UNICORN.
“Draft Travis Hunter Top 5, & let him play whatever position he wants!!” ESPN’s Ryan Clark posted on X. “If there’s a better player in college ball he’s gonna have to show me!”
Draft Travis Hunter Top 5, & let him play whatever position he wants!! If there’s a better player in college ball he’s gonna have to show me!
“Travis Hunter one of them ones,” Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill said in a post on X.
Hunter even drew praise from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. James called Hunter “ridiculous” in a post on X.
Even if the Broncos find a solution at corner in 2023, Hunter could be worth taking at wide receiver. The Broncos have no proven commodities for Bo Nix beyond Courtland Sutton and Josh Reynolds.
Broncos Could Reset Market for Pat Surtain
GettyPat Surtain II #2 of the Denver Broncos.
Surtain has long downplayed his contract situation. He is technically in the final year of his four-year, $20.9 million rookie contract. But he will play the 2025 season on his $19.8 million fifth-year option unless the two sides can work out a long-term agreement.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano cautions not to be “surprised” if Surtain signs a contract making him the highest-paid defensive back in the league.
“A lot of names, Surtain included, have swirled around in external trade speculation since coach Sean Payton got to Denver in early 2023. But not one time have I heard anything to indicate the Broncos had any real intention of trading Surtain, a player they see as a long-term building block,” Graziano wrote on August 29.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Denver do a deal with him during the season that resets the market for cornerbacks in some substantive way.
Making Surtain the highest-paid cornerback would mean beating Cleveland Browns corner Denzel Ward‘s $71.25 million in total guarantees, Green Bay Packers star Jaire Alexander‘s $21 million annual salary, or both.
Surtain is widely respected with many peers recognizing him as the best at his position.
The question is whether or not the Broncos are at a point where they want to invest as heavily as it could take to retain him.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He's based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
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