Denver, CO
Broncos prepare for life without Pat Surtain II in matchup vs. Saints
Pat Surtain II suiting up on game day has felt like a guarantee for the Broncos since his rookie season in 2021. The team is expected to enter a new reality on Thursday night.
Denver’s All-Pro cornerback hasn’t missed a game since Jan. 8, 2022, when the Broncos faced Kansas City in the final week of the regular season. Since then, he’s played in 40 straight games, but that streak could end against the Saints due to a concussion that kept him out of Tuesday’s walkthrough practice.
Unlike Sunday’s loss to the Chargers when defensive coordinator Vance Joseph had to make adjustments on the fly, he has time to prepare for life without Surtain on prime time at the Superdome.
“Pat allows us to do things in coverage that most players can’t,” Joseph said. “Having a couple of days to adjust your plan (for) players, it’s always an advantage.”
It didn’t take long for Joseph’s game plan to get altered against Los Angeles.
On the team’s very first defensive snap of the day, Surtain was covering Ladd McConkey when he hit his head on the turf. The Alabama product was immediately taken out of the game and later ruled out with a concussion.
Joseph said losing a cornerback like Surtain is harder to overcome than losing a defensive lineman. He often lines him up against the opponent’s best receiver and uses Surtain’s presence to push the ball in the direction Joseph wants it to go.
Herbert, who finished with 237 yards passing and a touchdown, found holes in the middle of the field to exploit once Surtain went down on Sunday. As a result, Denver struggled to get off the field on third down.
“We had a game plan with (Surtain) being out there for us, so adjusting that part was the biggest deal,” Joseph said. “Losing Pat and not winning on third down set us on a tailspin.”
Denver made the right adjustments, allowing just three points in the second half. But too much damage was done in the first two quarters.
Surtain’s absence also meant players had to step into new roles. Ja’Quan McMillian had to split time at nickel — his primary position — and outside cornerback. McMillian usually only gets a couple of practice reps at outside cornerback over the course of a week, so it took him some time to get comfortable.
“The biggest thing was space-wise. You got a lot more bodies (around you ) in the slot, but on the outside, you are on an island,” McMillian told The Post. “If it comes around again, I’ll be more prepared.”
Joseph said it’s beneficial to have a veteran like Levi Wallace, who can play multiple spots in the secondary. In Week 5, Wallace gave up two catches for 14 yards on three targets in 24 coverage snaps, according to Next Gen Stats. He played a total of 42 defensive snaps and could see his playing time increase on Sunday.
“Levi is a must-have for us,” Joseph said. “(He’s) a veteran player (who) can play safety, nickel or (outside) corner for us. He can fix issues on game day.”
Fortunately for the Broncos, they will face a Saints team that could be without their top two wide receivers. Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) were listed as non-participants at practice for two straight days.
Meanwhile, backup quarterback Spencer Rattler will make his second career start since starter Derek Carr is sidelined with an oblique injury.
“It takes some adjusting in the back end to fit certain packages (for) certain players,” Joseph said. “We should be OK.”
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Former Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson is taking a visit to the Denver Broncos ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, per The Denver Gazette. Ferguson is a Littleton, Colorado native and has a rising 2025 NFL Draft stock after an impressive NFL combine and Pro Day in Eugene.
Ferguson and Denver quarterback Bo Nix also have exciting chemistry already, as the duo shined at Oregon. Ferguson was a favorite target of Nix’s during the 2022 and 2023 season – finishing with 74 receptions for 805 yards and 11 touchdowns in those two seasons.
Ferguson turned heads at the combine with the fastest 40-yard dash from a tight end (4.63-seconds) and highest vertical leap (39-inch) from a tight end.
Ferguson and Nix are very close friends, who maintained their relationship through Nix’s rookie season in Denver.
“Yeah, I’ve been able to talk to Bo,” Ferguson told Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus during the 2024 season. “He had some things to ask me where to go to eat… It’s really cool to see his career take off. I’m super proud of him. I played with Bo for a couple of years and we were close off the field as well. He’s a great friend, great person off the field. So it was just really cool to see his dreams come true. All my family’s cheering for him as Denver Bronco fans.”
Does Ferguson dream Payton calling him during the 2025 NFL Draft to join the Broncos?
“Honestly, anywhere would be the best team for me. But yeah it’d be cool to play back in front of my family again and reunite with some teammates,” Ferguson told Amaranthus.
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Ferguson is fresh off his best season yet, breaking multiple Oregon records to become the Ducks’ most decorated tight end of all time. The fan-favorite broke the Oregon all-time records for career receptions (134) and receiving touchdowns (16) by a tight end, and finished second all-time in career receiving yards (1,537) by a tight end.
The 6-5, 255-pound Ferguson is grabbing the attention of many NFL Draft scouts, including New York Jets tight ends coach Jeff Blasko, who attended Oregon Ducks Pro Day in Eugene.
Ferguson is a great fit for Denver and coach Sean Payton’s offense. Ferguson is tough, experienced and a mismatch nightmare that has drawn comparisons to NFL legend Travis Kelce .
“It is really a blessing and really cool to be put in the same sentence as that guy,” Ferguson told Amaranthus. “He’s done a lot for the game and a lot for the position as tight ends go. But I’ve definitely watched a lot of his tape. He’s a special, special player and he’s really revolutionized tight end play.”
Denver did sign veteran tight end Evan Engram to a two-year deal in NFL free agency. The 30-year-old Engram is coming off a shoulder surgery, so possibly the Broncos are looking to add depth and options to their tight end room.
Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan Wolverines’ Colston Loveland are expected to be the first tight ends taken off the board in the upcoming NFL Draft while Ferguson has solidified himself as a great third option. Ferguson is projected to be a Day 2 pick (second or third round).
Ferguson has a chance to further etch his name in Oregon history books. When drafted, Ferguson will become the first Oregon tight end taken in the NFL Draft since David Paulson was selected by the Pittsburg Steelers with the 240th pick in the seventh round of the 2012 draft.
The NFL Draft will take place from April 24 to April 26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
DENVER — The Denver Police Department has lifted a shelter-in-place order for neighbors near the 140 block of Emerson Street following a shooting.
The department said it responded to reports of shots fired around 4:37 p.m. A shelter-in-place order was then issued for the surrounding neighborhood just before 5 p.m.
In an update at 7:24 p.m., Denver PD announced that a suspect was taken into custody and the shelter-in-place order was lifted.
No injuries have been reported at this time. Details about the circumstances that led up to the shelter-in-place have not yet been released.
This is a developing story.
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