The Denver Broncos have seen several high-paid players join its ranks, but none has been offered as valuable an extension contract as defensive back Patrick Surtain II, who just signed a four-year extension with a guarantee of $77.5 million.

The Broncos struck gold when Surtain (No. 9) joined the team in 2021. And now, with less than a week before the 2024 season-opening game, his future with the team has been confirmed.

Patrick Surtain II and the Denver Broncos have agreed to a four-year deal worth $96 million, of which $77.5 million is guaranteed, according to CBS’ NFL insider, Jonathan Jones.

This new contract extension has secured Surtain the spot as the highest-paid defensive back to ever play in the NFL.

His average annual value (AAV) surpassed that of the legendary Jaire Alexander, cornerback for the Green Bay Packers.

Alexander had an AAV of $21 million per year, while Surtain’s new contract sets his AAV at $24 million per year.

The current highest-paid safety is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Antoine Winfield Jr., who signed an $84.1 million four-year deal during the off-season. His AAV is therefore $21.025 million per year.

Current Highest Paid Cornerbacks

Fans betting on the upcoming season at the top sports betting sites should place their bets with knowledge of which teams paid how much for their star players. This can help bettors decide where to place their bets, as the teams wouldn’t waste their money on average defensive players.

Currently, the five highest-paid cornerbacks in terms of AAV are Patrick Surtain (Broncos) at $24 million, Jaire Alexander (Packers) at $21 million, A.J. Terrell (Atlanta Falcons) at $20.25 million, Denzel Ward (Cleveland Browns) at $20.1 million, and Jalen Ramsey (Miami Dolphins) at $20 million.

Patric Surtain In The Spotlight

Patrick Surtain II is not the first Surtain to reach the NFL.

His dad, also named Patrick, was a renowned defensive back who played 11 seasons for teams including the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs. And Patrick is following in his father’s footsteps.

Surtain II reached the Pro Bowl in the previous two seasons and received the First Team All-Pro title in 2022.

Surtain became the first player on the team to defend more than 10 passes in his first three NFL seasons (at least since tracking of this statistic started in 1991).

According to CBS Sports’ positional rankings for cornerbacks, Surtain II is ranked second, behind New York Jets’ Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner.

One would assume there would be competition between the top-ranked players, but Gardner showed support for Surtain’s new contract, posting emojis with dollar signs and the words “my dawg got that baggg” along with the news of Surtain’s new deal on X.

Contract Details

The contract details have been revealed, and it is clear the Broncos want to take care of their star player:

• 2024: Surtain receives a $15 million signing bonus, along with a $1.055 million base salary guaranteed, and a further $2.463 million roster bonus.

• 2025: Guaranteed base salary of $1.17 million and a $21 million option bonus.

• 2026: Injury-only base salary of $7.632 million (will become guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2025 season) and a $10 million option bonus.

• 2027: Injury-only base salary of $17 million (will become guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2026 season).

• 2028: Base salary of $19.49 million with $2.179 million thereof injury-only guaranteed (one portion becomes guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2026 season, and another portion on the fifth day of the 2027 league season) and a $510,000 roster bonus per game.

• 2028: Base salary of $23.49 million and $510,000 roster bonus per game.

This contract has set the standard for future cornerbacks, with total guarantees of $77.5 million and full guarantees of $40.7 million. And the contract is generous.

Surtain will stand to earn all the stipulated amounts, save for $2.179 million.

There’s no doubt that Surtain is one of the top cornerbacks in the history of the NFL. According to Broncos defensive coordinator, Vance Joseph, Surtain is “a special, special guy in coverage.”

He has played 50 games (he only missed one game in three years), in which he defended 36 passes, made 187 combined tackles, and recorded seven interceptions.

The Broncos believe that a player should be paid equal to his value to the team and that Surtain will be a key part of the team’s legacy for years to come.