The Denver Broncos went from having a historically great cornerback, right into having a legendary edge rusher, followed by an all-time great safety, and their latest find — Pat Surtain II — has the potential to not only carry that legacy forward, but to push it to new peaks.
Despite that immense ability, 2023 was a relatively down year for the star corner.
Will he hold onto the title of the Broncos’ best defensive player through the lesser campaign? Let’s look.
Joey Richards (@JRDrafts): Zach Allen.
The player most deserving of DPOY for the Broncos is also the player many were most concerned about at the beginning of the season.
Allen was extremely disruptive in a group that did not do his performance justice. Looking at where the Broncos rank defensively, questions about how any interior defensive lineman could be considered for this award would make sense, but one look at the film, and it is obvious.
Allen made the most of his opportunities despite those around him, and for that, deserves this award.
Zach Segars (@Zach_Segars): Pat Surtain II.
Surtain being the Denver Broncos’ DPOY just feels right. He did miss out on All-Pro nod, while Simmons got one. Simmons’ brief absence this season also underlined his immense value to the defense. That said, the All-Pro voters were wrong, and Surtain remains one of the two or three best corners in the sport, undeniably.
My full case for Surtain can be found in the second half of my longform Broncos Awards article.
Mario Vetanze (@VetanzeTherapy): Pat Surtain II.
The only other player on this team whom I would also consider for team MVP, Surtain is simply HIM. Every week, PS2 virtually erased the opposing team’s WR1.
Once again, the “casual observer” may not be able to see his immense value because he finished the season with 1 interception, but that doesn’t negate the fact that he is a transcendent talent. From a talent standpoint, Surtain II is the best player on this defense.
Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm): Zach Allen.
There were a lot of candidates I considered for this one. Patrick Surtain had another All-Pro worthy season, JaQuan McMillian looks like a true star at nickel corner and wasn’t getting snaps until week 5, Bonitto and Cooper both took massive step forwards as pass rushers… but my selection for Broncos 2023 DPOY is Zach Allen.
I was hesitant on the Allen signing with the loss of Dre’mont Jones, but Allen has more than proved me wrong. He played over 1,000 all-purpose snaps for Denver this season and provided major impact in both the run game and pass rush.
On a defensive front that lacked the bodies to stand up to most rushing offenses, Zach Allen provided true star level trench play, stacking up pressures and run stops. Disrupting pockets and forcing QBs to move off their spots providing opportunities for the rest of the front-7.
It was a homerun first season for the 2023 FA signing and the best part is he’s still only 26 with a major upward trajectory.
Carter Dillon (@CarterDillon14): Pat Surtain II.
I don’t think a season can go by without giving this award to PS2. Although this could have been seen as a down year for Surtain and the Seahawks social media team believes a corner that got benched this year (Tariq Woolen) had a better year, there isn’t a play that goes by where Broncos Country has to worry about PS2’s side of the field, and I think that alone makes him deserving of this award.
Robby Davis (@Robby_NFL): Justin Simmons.
Simmons was consistent throughout the entire season in multiple different roles with a revolving door at SS next to him.
Jason Bishop (@JasonBishopBI): Pat Surtain II.
In a league where playing cornerback has never been more difficult, Surtain continues to be the gold standard at the position.
Despite social media posts saying otherwise (looking at you, Seahawks), Surtain had another elite season and should have been an All-Pro selection.
Expect Surtain to continue to be the DPOY for Denver for the next decade.
Patrick Chiotti (@PatrickChiotti): Zach Allen.
The Broncos marquee free agent signing from the 2023 offseason, Allen had the job of replacing the departed Dre’Mont Jones and did an incredible job at it. Allen played over 900 defensive snaps AND another 100 snaps on special teams, making him one of the four Broncos defensive starters that played over 1000 combined snaps. He posted career highs in tackles and QB hits while playing an entire season for the first time in his career. Not to mention, he was only a half sack away from tying his career high. While the Broncos pass rush and interior defensive line wasn’t exactly pretty throughout the year, Allen managed to stand out each and every game for his efforts up front.
Jacob Romano (@JTR_14): Pat Surtain II.
The answer should come as a surprise to no one, as PS2 has been the Broncos’ best defender from the moment he was drafted.
He once again proved that he is the best corner in the league, as he shut down his side of the field in almost every game and was rarely even targeted. Surtain’s success is even more impressive when you look at the supporting cast around him, as the Broncos’ front seven lacks game-changers who can make life easier for the secondary.
The son of All-Pro Patrick Surtain has more than lived up to his legendary pedigree, and will likely be considered the best player on the Broncos’ roster for a long time.
Winner: Pat Surtain II (5 votes)
Honorable Mentions: Zach Allen (3 votes), Justin Simmons (1 vote)
