The 2026 NFL season is still young, but the Denver Broncos are already facing something of a crisis. The Denver offense has been so bad that head coach Sean Payton has retaken play-calling duties in an effort to help a struggling Bo Nix. Meanwhile, in a disconcerting twist, the supposedly stout Broncos defense has, at times, been rather uninspiring.
Even worse, it will have to survive without its best player for a little while.
Former Defensive Player of the Year and perennial All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II injured his ankle during a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4. Surtain will not be placed on injured reserve, which would mean he'd have to miss a minimum of four weeks, but he is still considered week-to-week by the Broncos and will miss a notable
amount of time. That includes Sunday's road game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Sources classify Broncos corner Patrick Surtain II (ankle) as ‘week-to-week,’ with one bracing for him to miss about two weeks.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 5, 2026
So, short term, as @RapSheet said, but the All-Pro corner likely to miss some time. pic.twitter.com/EYFxuuD0SH
If there's any consolation for the Broncos and Surtain, Denver isn't necessarily playing an elite quarterback any time soon. Assuming Surtain misses only a small handful of games, he would miss upcoming matchups against Justin Herbert, Sam Darnold, and Jacoby Brissett. Not exactly a murderer's row of passers without your top cornerback available.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: When is Patrick Surtain II coming back to the Broncos?
