The Denver Broncos must decide this offseason if they will exercise their option for a fifth season on the rookie contract of cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

If Denver chooses to use its option, it will guarantee the former Alabama All-American a $19.802 million salary for the 2025 season.

Broncos general manager George Paton isn’t blinking at that figure.

“That’s an easy one,” Paton said on Tuesday when asked if the team planned to pick up Surtain’s option. “That’s one of the easier decisions we’ll make.”

A harder task would be working out a long-term contract extension with Surtain, who is eligible for one after completing three seasons even though he has the 2024 campaign and the possibility of an option year left on his current deal.

“We’ll look into it,” Paton said about a contract extension. “We have a lot going on before that. Like I said, we got free agency, then we have the draft. Pat’s going to be here. Obviously, we value Pat, and we’ll see where that goes.”

The Broncos have until May 2 to make a decision on Surtain’s fifth-year option. Free agency arrives at 3 p.m. CDT March 13, and the NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25-27 in Detroit.

Surtain joined Denver as the ninth selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. Each first-round draft pick signs a four-year contract that carries a team option for a fifth season. But that option must be exercised before the player’s fourth season.

At Alabama, Surtain was a unanimous All-American and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year for the Crimson Tide’s 2020 undefeated CFP national-championship team.

For Denver, Surtain has been a Pro Bowl selection in each of the past two seasons and received first-team All-Pro recognition in 2022.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.