Speaking fundamentally, the Denver Broncos have no reason to trade young All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain to the Dallas Cowboys or to anybody else. He's 23, he's on a rookie contract, and players of his caliber represent the fastest way for Denver to end its skid as one of the NFL's most embarrassingly bad teams.
Indeed, our understanding is that the word "untouchable'' is a common one when it comes to even the most cursory visits on the subject ahead of the NFL's Oct. 31 trade deadline.
But - because we know the Cowboys do "love'' Surtain (and yes, that matters) - it is helpful to know whether Denver would listen at all. (And yes, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, that might require your front office to call theirs.)
And it is helpful to know what the Broncos' asking price might be. And now we think we know.
It has already been established, via Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, that Denver would listen to trade offers for a handful of its players. We have referred to this as "picking at the carcass'' of the Broncos roster, just as Dallas should (will? is?) do with the Titans the Panthers.
"The Broncos,'' Breer writes, "are going to listen to trade inquiries on Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Garett Bolles, Josey Jewell, Justin Simmons, and even Patrick Surtain II over the next six days. The Broncos aren’t close, they need picks, and it makes sense to explore getting more.''
"It makes sense''? Who says? It actually only "makes sense'' if we know what Denver believes the compensation look like for a top NFL corner like Surtain. And our Denver-based colleague Benjamin Allbright is now offering up intel there, saying that the Broncos would want "two first-round picks and probably another Pro Bowl-caliber player to even get the conversation started.''
Would that request be out of line? One NFL source tells us the concept is "outrageous.'' But ... When the Rams acquired Jalen Ramsey from the Jaguars in 2019, they gave up two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder in the trade.
If this info is correct? Dallas would be moving way out of its front office comfort zone, "mortgaging the future'' in terms of a lack of assets and a tight cap-related budget for when it's time to retain Surtain - for a Super Bowl push now.
Let the debate rage about whether the Cowboys should think it's "worth it'' ... but only after contemplating just what the "it'' is that would be sacrificed here.
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