Three biggest takeaways from the Pat Surtain press conference
Apr 20, 2022, 6:49 AM
The Denver Broncos had two more players talk to the media on Tuesday. Up first, second-year cornerback Patrick Surtain.
He was the team’s first-round pick last year, and he’s general manager George Paton’s first pick ever. Surtain certainly was a bright spot for the Broncos last season when few bright spots were to be had.
This year, Surtain is looking to take his leadership up a notch. Surtain has a lot of confidence in the secondary around him, and he sounded excited about their prospects in 2022.
“We have a lot of potential. We obviously added new key additions in the secondary and on the defense. It should be a very exciting year—the defense is going to fly around and make big-time plays. I’m very excited for the upcoming season,” Surtain said.
Here are the three biggest observations from Surtain’s press conference.
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More Work To Be Done
Entering his second season, Surtain is far from a finished product. He was a top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and I thought he was the best cornerback in last year’s draft class. Surtain certainly has upside, but he has work to do.
I’d like to see Surtain play faster. There were times as a rookie when he seemed to be a little late to the play. Things happen quickly in the NFL, and it’s not just the physical speed. Surtain is now playing against players with more discipline than he saw in college – yes, even at Alabama.
It was good to hear on Tuesday that he’s got his own personal goals this season. The film study Surtain will put in this year (and this offseason) will help him play up to the All-Pro potential he has as a second-year corner.
"Consistency. Technique. Fundamentals. More film study (is where he wants to improve)." Patrick Surtain #Broncos @1043TheFan
— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) April 19, 2022
He knows what he needs to do, and with his work ethic those goals should be reached sooner rather than later. Not only is Surtain going to help himself, but he’s going to lead by example and be a great resource for young players added by the Broncos in this draft class.
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Flying Around
We’ll see a new Broncos defense in 2022. Gone is former head coach (and defensive coordinator) Vic Fangio, replaced by first-time defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. He’s been a secondary coach with the Los Angeles Rams since 2017, and now Evero gets to prove himself as a DC.
We heard last week from Justin Simmons that Evero’s defense is going to be similar to what Fangio did – and fans should not be alarmed by that. Yes, Fangio’s defense wasn’t what it was cracked up to be but Evero’s scheme is going to include something the former coach didn’t implement that much – blitzing. Cover 2 is Cover 2 and zone defense is zone defense, no matter how you slice it – but adding more pressure situations is going to make this defense stand out in 2022.
It’s going to be something fans notice immediately. This team should put more pressure on opponents and that will lead to more chances to make field-flipping plays.
"It should be an exciting year. Defense will be flying around making plays." Patrick Surtain #Broncos @1043TheFan
— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) April 19, 2022
It will be exciting to see what this defense has in store for opponents this season. I believe Evero’s defense will be better than Fangio’s defense. I don’t think that’s a controversial opinion, although some are shocked that could be the case. The Broncos defense has talent, and this year they’ll be unleashed by Evero’s blitzing tendencies.
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The Shift
Things are different for the Broncos because they have superstar quarterback Russell Wilson. There was a lot of talk about energy in the building on Tuesday. Wilson’s presence has fired up this team to be better than they have been in the past. The last six years have been awful. Since winning Super Bowl 50, it’s been all downhill for the Broncos.
That should change this year with Wilson and the talent on both sides of the ball. Surtain doesn’t play on offense, but he knows how much Wilson will help his side of the ball. By scoring more points, the Broncos offense is going to put pressure on opponents that offenses in the past have not been able to accomplish.
Simply put, Wilson’s offense is going to make things better for the Broncos defense. When they build a lead on offense, the Broncos defense will be able to tee off on opponents who must go into ‘pass happy’ mode before they want to.
"I can feel the team's energy…the shift…just focusing on the upcoming season." Patrick Surtain #Broncos @1043TheFan
— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) April 19, 2022
The energy the team is feeling in April will be nothing compared to what they’ll likely be feeling in September when the regular season begins. I’m here for all of it and almost excited about it as the players on the Broncos roster.
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