“I think the best defensive player on a snap-by-snap basis was Pat Surtain II. To me, if you’re looking for a cornerback and you say what’s the perfect season to show a cornerback? Pat Surtain inhibits targets at an extremely high rate. When thrown into it, he has a 50.1 passer rating. He has three interceptions, including a 100-yard pick six. He has no missed tackles all season. He plays in a defense that plays a man at one of the highest rates in football … I think he was the best player in the league on defense,” Barnwell said.

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Barnwell’s only argument against Surtain was that he has missed nearly two games so far this season with a concussion. Highlighting Surtain’s impact on the defensive scheme, The AthleticRobert Mays pointed out that the Broncos completely changed their coverage from a man-heavy zone to a completely missed play by Surtain. Surtain is the straw that stirs Denver’s defensive drink.

If Surtain were to win the award, a few things would have to happen. While he’s undeniably valuable and unique, he’ll need to start generating more plays on the ball when teams throw it his way.

Surtain has three interceptions on the season and two pass breakups, tied for third and 62nd in the league, respectively. Unfair or not, Surtain’s ball production will have to improve to win this award.

Given how the Broncos play defense in tight press coverage, with Surtain often going after opposing WR1s and assigning bodies to the rush as opposed to coverage, the opportunity to play with the quarterback’s eyes and read the football isn’t it is as large as the defenses that run far. more area coverage. This is a schematic drawback for the ball production of a boundary corner.

Surtain is unlikely to win the DPoY given how rare it is for a cornerback to win the award, but he is undoubtedly one of the most impactful and elite players at his position. He is a complete corner who plays a style that virtually no other cornerback is asked to or can do in the current NFL landscape and Broncos Country is fortunate to have such a special player for the foreseeable future.

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