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The Denver Broncos on Tuesday picked up the fifth-year option on Patrick Surtain II, keeping the All-Pro cornerback under contract through at least the 2025 season.

Surtain was the ninth overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft and George Paton’s first career selection as Broncos general manager. Denver had a May 2 deadline to exercise the option on the rookie contract.

Paton said during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine that retaining Surtain, 24, would be “one of the easier decisions we’ll make.”

The Broncos will pay Surtain $6.6 million in 2024, with a guaranteed salary of $19.8 million for the option year in 2025, while staving off potential free agency for at least another year.

Surtain started 15 of 16 games as a rookie in 2021 and snagged four interceptions — returning one for a touchdown — and had 14 passes defended. He was a Pro Bowl selection for the next two seasons, also making first-team All-Pro in 2022.

In 50 career games (49 starts), Surtain has seven interceptions, 36 passes defended, one forced fumble and 187 tackles. Last season, he became the first player in franchise history with double-digit passes defended (14, 10, 12) in his first three seasons.

–Field Level Media