$96 Million Broncos Star Patrick Surtain II Silences NFL’s Top Receiver
There is something so unique about Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II that sometimes, when we see his film or see his ability in action, it almost seems too good to be true.
The latest example came when Surtain, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, squared off with reining Triple Crown winner and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who led the NFL in receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns in 2024.
Surtain and the Broncos came away with a 28-3 win and evened their record at 2-2.
The Bengals came away looking like they need of a new quarterback after backup Jake Browning fell flat for a second consecutive week in place of Joe Burrow.
And it all starts with Surtain.
From NextGen Stats: “Patrick Surtain II allowed one reception for 8 yards across 13 coverage matchups with Ja’Marr Chase, including 0 receptions on 10 matchups in man coverage. Surtain has now matched up against Chase on 54 career routes and allowed 4 receptions for 35 yards.”
Surtain Put Clamps Down on Chase … Again
There hasn’t been a cornerback in the NFL who has slowed Chase down in recent years — save for Surtain.
“LOCKDOWN: Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II SHUT DOWN
“He’s the Defensive Player of the Year for a reason,” Broncos edge rusher Nik Bonitto told reporters after the game. “He makes our job a whole lot easier up front … I mean that’s every week. That’s what he do.”
Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci compared Surtain to the greatest cornerback in NFL history.
“We’ve never seen this type of matchup before, with the league’s Triple Crown receiving leader against the reigning Defensive Player of the Year,” Mariucci said on NFL GameDay before kickoff. ” … This remind me back when I was coaching when I had Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders was covering him.”
Surtain’s dominant performance seemed to boil over on the Bengals sideline when Chase, the NFL’s highest paid wide receiver with a 4-year, $161 million contract, seemed to have a confrontation with head coach Zac Taylor.
Even in terms of NFL riches, the gap between Surtain and Chase is significant. Chase makes almost double Surtain’s annual salary of $24.5 million and his contract is worth exactly $65 million more than Surtain’s.
Surtain’s DPOY Season Something to Behold
Surtain’s lockdown performance against Chase might be one of his first pieces of evidence to making the case for him to repeat as NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
In 2024, Surtain allowed just 351 receiving yards, total, in 16 games. He only allowed over 30 receiving yards in a single game twice, with a season high 45 yards against the Bengals in Week 17.
Surtain was perhaps the most no-brainer No. 1 pick among all NFL players when it came to ESPN’s annual preseason position rankings.
“Surtain’s grip on the top spot was stronger this time around, as he earned nearly 90% of the first-place votes compared to slightly above 50% last summer,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on July 17. “He has clearly separated himself from the field.”
Bears WR NOW A PRIME TRADE TARGET FOR Giants AFTER SHOCKING Malik Nabers INJURY – Could This Be A Game-Changing Move?
The injury to Nabers couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart just won his first NFL game after being named the team’s starter, and having a wideout with Nabers’ skill set at the ready is huge for any rookie signal-caller.
The Giants will surely want to keep Dart’s momentum going, so a trade for another talented WR with a proven track record feels like it could be coming for New York.
Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports had a candidate from Chicago in mind: DJ Moore.
Giants Current Situation at WR Is Far From Ideal
“New York still has solid wide receivers in Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson, but can’t rely on Jalin Hyatt to fill the void (even if he was a former third-round pick). The Giants need outside up to solve this problem, even if they are 1-3 and aren’t actually contending for a playoff berth this year,” Kerr wrote on September 29, before making his case — albeit a shaky one — for Moore:
Hard to envision the Bears getting rid of Moore, but it doesn’t hurt to call. … especially since the Giants need a player that can make a quarterback’s life easier. The Bears would need to get a significant draft capital back for Moore, since they are 2-2 and Caleb Williams is playing well. Not to mention Chicago is a contender and has its own young quarterback in Williams. Again, doesn’t hurt for the Giants to call.
If New York would be comfortable paying for Moore’s services in decent draft capital, the veteran wideout could be a nice security blanket for Dart.
Moore Has a History of Consistent Play & Helping Young QBs
GettyShould the Giants try to trade for DJ Moore to help replace Malik Nabers?
In 2023, his first season with the Bears, Moore set career highs across the board—96 catches, 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns—while playing all 17 games. He followed that with 98 receptions for 966 yards and six scores in 2024, again logging 17 starts.
He racked up those stats with two different young quarterbacks in Justin Fields and Caleb Williams.
Through the first four games of 2025, he has 16 grabs for 173 yards and a touchdown.
Prior to landing in Chicago, Moore finished with over 1,000 yards receiving in three of his first five seasons. Now in Year 8, he is 28 and still has plenty left in the tank to be the top target for a young QB.
But the idea Chicago might move on is a bit of a stretch.
Why the Chicago Bears Likely Won’t Want to Trade DJ Moore to the New York Giants
Would the Bears
Moore’s contract is expensive, but not market-breaking relative to WR1 money. He signed a four-year, $110 million extension with Chicago in July of 2024. That deal runs through 2029 and carries a cap charge of $24.9 million this season.
If the Giants gave Bears GM Ryan Poles an offer he couldn’t refuse—think a premium 2026 pick plus an additional fourth-rounder, maybe—trading Moore is possible. But given Chicago’s stated intent to surround Williams with playmakers, it’s a very remote one.
