The Denver Broncos had a top-tier defense during the 2024 NFL season. The Broncos yielded the third-fewest points and seventh-fewest yards in the league. Opposing offenses averaged 4.9 yards per play, 5.6 yards per pass and 3.9 yards per rushing attempt, each the second-lowest in the league.
Denver cornerback Patrick Surtain II thinks the Broncos could be a lot better than that in the 2025 season.
“I think we have the ability to be mentioned in history amongst the greats,” Surtain said on Wednesday during an appearance on FanDuel TV’s “Up and Adams.” “But, you know, I mean, you can’t talk about it. You got to be about it, and that’s with putting in the work every day, everybody flying around to the ball, making plays. But with our personnel, I mean, you talk about Zach Allen, you talk about Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, D.J. Jones, (John Franklin-Myers), Malcolm Roach. Then you go to linebackers, Alex (Singleton) and Dre (Greenlaw), new addition. Then the secondary, you already know.
“But when you have that much talent on the defensive side, I mean the sky’s the limit. Now it’s all about how can we control our own destiny and make sure we put out good tape and put out good ball each and every week.”
Denver’s defense didn’t look like one of history’s best when the San Francisco 49ers scored a touchdown on their first possession in the Broncos’ opening preseason game on Saturday night.
A former Alabama teammate of Surtain’s, quarterback Mac Jones connected with rookie wide receiver Jordan Watkins for a 50-yard gain against Denver’s first-team defense on the game’s third snap as San Francisco moved 71 yards in eight plays to score on a 5-yard run by running back Patrick Taylor Jr.
“They got an explosive play,” Surtain said. “Obviously, that’s about the whole drive, that explosive play, and then, obviously, that run. Just miscommunication. Something that we corrected on the sideline, and then we bounced back and got a great drive after that. So just, you know, that play, I mean, it’s just a couple plays down the line that first drive, that consisted of that drive.”
The Broncos went on to a 30-9 victory with Surtain following his NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2024 by playing Denver’s first two defensive series against San Francisco.
The Broncos posted a 10-7 record last season and went to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
“I think this year, it’s a lot of things to be confident about,” Surtain said. “I mean, I think the energy around the team is great. I mean, when you talk to the guys in the locker room, it’s nothing but positive conversations and stuff like that. And the great thing about it is when you got a team like that that rallies behind each other, I mean, we just boost each other’s heads up every day. I mean, we watch plays on film and everybody in the room like, ‘Oh, oh.’ Like, it’s just like a great thing to see.”
Last year at this time, the Broncos were working first-round quarterback Bo Nix toward his rookie season. The former Pinson Valley High School and Auburn standout went on to throw for 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024, a showing that helped turn around the expectations for Denver’s 2025 season.
“Man, I could see the energy has shifted just going from last year to this year,” Surtain said. “We got some new additions, key additions. Got a new team. Great young guys. Last year, this team, people didn’t know much about our team, so it was a lot of predictions, a lot of uncertainty. But now we put people on the radar.”
Surtain hopes to be a more assertive leader as Denver scales historic defensive heights.
“I think taking on that role, it’s always room for growth,” Surtain said, “and for me, it’s definitely being more vocal. Expressing to guys not to get complacent and to always look to get better, a step better, because in this league, you can’t take weeks off. You got to focus on sharpening your skill set at the end of the day. And my job is to make sure guys is on top of that.”
The Broncos play the second of their three preseason games at 8:30 p.m. CDT Saturday, when the Arizona Cardinals come to Empower Field at Mile High. NFL Network will televise the game.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.
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