Where Does Patrick Surtain II Rank Among Broncos' All-Time Best CBs?

Is Pat Surtain II already a Denver Broncos all-timer?

Kenneth Booker | Sep 7, 2024

Oct 8, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) celebrates his interception with cornerback Tremon Smith (1) in the second half against the New York Jets at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Denver Broncos

Now that the Denver Broncos have locked up premier cornerback Patrick Surtain II for the foreseeable future. In the wake of his record-breaking contract extension, where does Surtain rank among the Broncos' all-time best cornerbacks?

Surtain has some stout competition, as numerous all-time greats have donned the Broncos helmet. Players on Denver's all-time cornerback list range from the iconic Orange Crush defense, known for its dominant performance in the late 1970s, to players from the Super Bowl champion No Fly Zone — a term coined for the Broncos' formidable 2015 secondary.

Today, I'm listing the all-time Broncos to play the position to determine where Surtain stands and whether he will sit at the top of the list when it's all said and done.

5. Steve Foley

A recent Ring of Fame inductee, Foley spent his 11-year career in Denver, becoming crucial to the Orange Crush defense. He cemented his legacy with a franchise-leading 44 interceptions, a record that stands to this day.

When Foley was asked about the record he stated, “People say, 'Oh, with free agency, it's not going to get broken.' It'll get broken, maybe. Records are made to be broken."

During his time in Denver, Foley logged at least five interceptions in five of his 11 seasons. His role also wasn’t limited to just cornerback as he excelled as a premier free safety as well.

4. Chris Harris, Jr.

Coming into the league, Harris went from signing a $2,000 signing bonus as an undrafted free agent to a four-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro team selection, a member of the 2010 All-Decade team, and a Super Bowl 50 champion.

Harris became a staple of one of the most talented secondaries in league history. To say that Harris overachieved is the understatement of the century.

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3. Louis Wright

The Broncos selected the talented cornerback at No. 17 overall in the first round in 1975. Wright possessed electric speed and excellent size and was rumored to run a 9.6-second 100-meter dash during his time at San Jose State.

As a Bronco, Wright tallied 26 interceptions and was named to five Pro Bowls, two All-Pro teams, the 1977 Football Digest's NFL Defensive Back of the Year, and the 1970s All-Decade team. Legendary defensive coordinator Joe Collier coined the term "shutdown cornerback" to describe Wright.

2. Patrick Surtain II

Despite being early in his career, Surtain has already established himself as the league's top corner. His versatility is his key strength, excelling in every aspect of cornerback play. Surtain possesses exceptional speed and ball skills, can effectively play man coverage or zone, and can shadow the opposing team's most dangerous weapon, including talented tight ends like division rival Travis Kelce.

Surtain's confidence in the run game is also noteworthy, as he is adept at wrapping up and is surprisingly strong for his position.

1.Champ Bailey

Bailey comes in at the top of the list of best cornerbacks in the team and maybe league history. While he was a physical freak, he had the work ethic and mindset to match, dedicating himself to perfecting his craft. As he once stated in an interview, "The work builds the confidence; I couldn't be as confident and successful without putting the work in."

Bailey's work ethic and discipline were not just personal attributes, but they were instrumental in his on-field performance, allowing him to consistently outperform his opponents. Work ethic and discipline are where the players really start to separate themselves.

As the great Mike Tyson said, "I don't care how good you are; if you don't have discipline, you ain't nobody. You're nothing without discipline."

Opposing wideouts were also unable to hide from Bailey, even when teams lined up their star wideout in the backfield. As told by former perennial Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith, "I remember I lined up at running back one time, and they lined Champ Bailey up; he was the fourth linebacker. That wasn't what I thought was going to happen."

Bailey's ability to move all over helped prevent opposing teams from matching their star wideout or tight end on Denver's weakest defensive back.

The Takeaway

Denver has had many talented cornerbacks in its history, and it took a lot of work to narrow them down. Your list might differ, especially if you grew up in a different era.

I struggle to leave some all-time greats off the list — names like Aqib Talib, Billy Thompson, Ray Crockett, and the late, great Darrent Williams. Ultimately, if you factor in physical traits, performance, and time with the team, these players came up a hair short of the guys who made the list.

What separates Surtain is the speed at which he became regarded as the best corner in the league. He excelled early on, using generational traits and work ethic to perfect his craft.

Having said that, Surtain still has some heavy lifting if he hopes to catch Bailey, the 12-time Pro Bowler and only Pro Football Hall-of-Famer on this list.