Broncos’ Bo Nix sharpening himself in training camp battles with Pat Surtain II

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The interesting thing about the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year is that you can go long stretches without noticing him.

Avoiding Pat Surtain II is generally wise quarterbacking business. So the Broncos’ star cornerback can go most or all of a practice without having the ball thrown in his direction. Luckily for Surtain, Bo Nix covets a challenge, especially during a training camp in which he is trying to sharpen his skills heading into his highly anticipated second season. Nix has not been afraid to target Surtain in recent days, even after being burned by the ball-hawking corner.

On Friday, Surtain picked off a pass that was intended for Courtland Sutton, lurking in what coach Sean Payton called a “blind area” and then surging from an underneath position to pick off a pass. During a simulated scrimmage Saturday, Surtain made a similar play when he read Nix rolling out on a bootleg and put himself into position to intercept a pass that sailed between a pair of receivers.

It’s the kind of locked-in anticipation Broncos head coach Sean Payton has come to expect from the league’s top cornerback.

“He’s one of those players where the ball kind of finds him,” the coach said of Surtain, who tied a career-high with four interceptions last season en route to becoming the first cornerback to win the league’s top defensive honor since 2019. “Part of that is his length and his ability to deflect the pass. He’s a rare athlete.”

Payton learned early after taking the Broncos’ job in 2023 that Surtain, who played for Nick Saban at Alabama, could be challenged. So he shared an observation with the young cornerback.

“With Pat, and I talked to him about it, I said, ‘Man, anytime we get one of these elite receivers, you’re out there and it’s clinic film. And then, periodically, there’ll be a guy we don’t even know catch a deep ball.’ It’s that mental focus of, each week, if it’s not an elite receiver, it’s still a capable receiver. So I think you began to see that discipline, regardless of who he was lined up over.”

Nix, though, didn’t shy away after being picked off by Surtain — twice. During a red-zone session later in the practice, Nix opted to target Sutton again in a one-on-one matchup with Surtain. Nix arched a perfect fade ball to the 6-foot-4 receiver, who was able to keep Surtain at bay with his body while he leaped up and snatched the ball for a touchdown.

Sutton and Surtain have relished their one-on-one matchups so far in camp, and the frequency has ramped up over the last week since Sutton jumped into more team reps in the wake of signing a four-year, $92 million contract extension.

“Court is my brother, so every time we come out here, we’re looking to compete and get better,” Surtain said earlier in camp. “You can just tell each and every year he’s looking to get better himself, so I feel like we haven’t even seen the best of him yet — even though he’s been so great. I think sharpening each other’s craft is going to make each other better each and every day, so I’m looking forward to those battles.”

Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II creates tough matchups in practice for QB Bo Nix and star WR Courtland Sutton. (Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn Images)

The structured scrimmage — the Broncos interspersed special team periods between six-play offensive segments at various parts of the field — featured a strong start by Nix. He maneuvered in the pocket to find Devaughn Vele on a crossing route for a big gain, hit Troy Franklin on an out route of about 15 yards in front of Surtain and then made a throw on the opposite sideline to Trent Sherfield to pick up a first down.

The second set of plays was dominated by the defense. Dondrea Tillman shut down running back RJ Harvey near the line of scrimmage. Riley Moss blanketed Marvin Mims to force an incompletion. Zach Allen, who signed a four-year, $102 million extension Saturday, demonstrated his dominance when he pushed away All-Pro guard Quinn Meinerz with one hand and wrapped up Harvey with the other. Allen later had a would-be sack of Nix during a red-zone period.

Nix followed with the touchdown to Sutton, and his backups had a couple of impressive scoring throws of their own. Jarrett Stidham fired a tight pass in the end zone to Franklin, who shook his defender with a crisp slant route. Third-string quarterback Sam Ehlinger had the throw of the day, hitting undrafted rookie Jerjuan Newton on a deep ball up the seam for a touchdown of about 50 yards.

The scrimmage ended a stretch of six straight days for the Broncos, will have Sunday off.

Quick snaps

• Allen, after practice, said he was still trying to process the fact that he had signed a life-changing extension. It wasn’t something that was easy to envision five years ago.

Midway through his second season — after missing most of his rookie year due to injury — Allen said he played “the worst game of my life” for the Arizona Cardinals against the Los Angeles Rams.

“I was in the parking lot and I was talking to Charlie Bullen, one of our coaches, and I said, ‘I’m going to get cut,’” Allen said Saturday. “I came home and told my fiancée, Molly, ‘You know what, I have a finance degree. We can move back East. I guess I’ll be working in an office.’ But, again, it’s a testament to everyone in my life who has helped me get here. You just have to be gritty and take it day by day. It’s never over. It’s crazy to think we’re here. It hasn’t fully hit me yet.”

Here to stay!

✍️ @TheZALLEN44 ✍️ pic.twitter.com/HNK8bH7sgC

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 2, 2025

Both Payton and Allen praised the negotiation process, with both frequently using the word “trust” to describe how the deal came together. Payton said he spoke with Allen in recent days, as an agreement was nearing, and said, “Our ships can see each other on the horizon.”

“Periodically, there is a player that comes up (for an extension) where you say to yourself, ‘If we’re not willing to pay him, who are we paying?’” Payton said of Allen, who led all defensive players in the NFL last season with 37 quarterback hits, according to TruMedia. “It’s a credit to both sides with how it progressed.”

• Moss has been having a consistently strong camp. He stuck to Mims on three long routes in the last two practices of the week and forced incompletions every time, including a pass breakup on a third-down play Saturday. Another standout on defense: second-year pass rusher Jonah Elliss, who had a quick sack of Stidham during the opening team drill for the second units.

(Top photo of Bo Nix: Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn Images)

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