Sean Payton delivered the kind of update Broncos fans were hoping to hear on Pat Surtain.
The Denver cornerback went down with an ankle injury in the Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and there was immediate concern about how long he might be out. But Payton said he does not expect Surtain to be placed on injured reserve.
“That’s jumping way ahead,” Payton told reporters. “I don’t think so, and if they were I wouldn’t say so, but I don’t think so.”
That doesn’t lock in anything, but it does point to a more optimistic outlook than the worst-case scenario many were bracing for. Surtain, a two-time first-team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection, has been one of the Broncos’ most important players and one of the league’s premier defenders.
He’s already posted 21 tackles and one pass defensed this season, adding to a career that has been stacked with production since Denver made him a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Over his professional career, Surtain has totaled 300 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 60 passes defensed, 12 interceptions and two touchdowns.
For the immediate future, though, Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers looks like a likely miss. Surtain did not practice on Wednesday, which makes his availability for that matchup doubtful at best.
Still, the bigger takeaway for Denver is that the team appears to be expecting him back within the next three weeks, rather than shelving him for an extended stay on injured reserve. That alone changes the tone around this injury.
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BYU Just Took A Big Hit Before A Crucial Stretch
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The loss puts more pressure on an already shifting offensive plan, with quarterback Bear Bachmeier likely to shoulder a bigger load while the rushing attack waits for Martin to return. For a team trying to navigate a pivotal run of games, the absence of a back who has been central to the ground game changes the feel of everything around it. [Read more 🡒]