Mile High Report
Could PS2 be even better in 2025?
We are living in a time of greatness for the Denver Broncos. Pat Surtain II arrived on the scene as a rookie and made an immediate impact. Seasons two and three showed the league he was a true shutdown corner. It all came together with league-wide recognition when PS2 was named defensive player of the year after his fourth season.
Heading into his fifth season in the NFL he is one of the anchors of a defense that has blossomed under Vance Joseph. A cornerstone of that success is PS2’s ability to eliminate half the field for opposing QBs.
The comparisons to former Broncos greats like Louis Wright and Champ Bailey are well deserved.
Age: 25 | Experience: 5 | College: Alabama | Height: 6’2” | Weight: 202 pounds
The expectations for Surtain are incredibly high. His performance warrants nothing less than the belief that he will continue to lockdown each opponents No. 1 WR, and eliminate half the field. He will obviously be in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year.
With the Broncos making the playoffs in 2024, in large part due to the defense, the bar has been raised in the Mile High City. If Denver is going to compete for an AFC West title, it will largely be on on the shoulders of a PS2-led defense.
The secondary in Denver appears to only have gotten better. With Riley Moss coming off a stellar rookie campaign, Sean Payton drafted Jahdae Barron. That puts less stress on Ja’Quan McMillian to be out on the edge, and just builds all that talent. Included in the additions is Talanoa Hufanga at safety.
The defense is going to be scary. The secondary will cause opposing QBs to get a little nervous when pulling the trigger. PS2 might be on an island, but the Broncos secondary could be an archipelago of interceptions with him as the anchor.
Geography jokes aside, Surtain had an incredible 2024. The image of his pick-6 against the Raiders while wearing the throwbacks was a highlight for the ages. Not only should he continue to thrive as the best corner in the game. He should look even better.
The Broncos secondary in 2025 looks like a scary “pick your poison” situation. Surtain won’t lead the league in INTs, or passes defensed. He had 4 picks in 2024, but the game plan was almost always to throw away from him. It won’t be crazy stats that stand out, but the fact that offenses know he is not to be messed with.
Still, with all the improvements, it wouldn’t be surprising if he gets a bump in INTs and PD’s. He is the face of the defense, and along with Bo Nix, the face of the franchise.
