After coming seconds away from winning the 2024 Super Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers will need to go back to the drawing board. While there are very few spots San Francisco can improve, the secondary is probably the obvious place to upgrade.

With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay suggests a trade for Denver Broncos corner Patrick Surtain II. Surtain is entering his fourth NFL season, but already has an All-Pro selection and two Pro Bowl honors.

“Across 50 career contests, Surtain has racked up 187 tackles, 36 pass defenses and seven interceptions,” Kay wrote on February 13. “Despite constantly facing the opposition’s top wideouts, Surtain has never allowed a completion rate above 60 percent or given up more than four touchdowns in a season… That type of talent would push San Francisco’s secondary to the next level.”

It’s difficult to say if Surtain would’ve been the difference maker in the 2024 Super Bowl, but Kay thinks it’s certainly a possibility. Moving for Surtain would not be cheap, but it would give the 49ers one of the best young corners in the NFL.

What a 49ers Trade Would Look Like

In his proposal, Kay suggests a pretty sizable haul for Denver:

• 2024 first-round pick (No. 31 overall)
• 2024 second-round pick (No. 63 overall)
• 2024 third-round pick (No. 94 overall)

Essentially, San Francisco is going “all in” with this deal. Yes, they still have some later picks but they are giving up this year’s three-best chances at young talent for a single, but proven 23-year-old.

Surtain, at his best, is worth that kind of deal. He only had one interception in 2023, but swatted 12 passes and allowed a 59.3% completion rate. Essentially, teams are throwing at him far less after his All-Pro 2022 season.

Adding Surtain poses questions about the rest of the secondary. Primarily, the question is whether the 49ers still have CB Charvarius Ward still on the roster. Pairing Ward and Surtain together would be a lethal combo on paper.

But if Surtain is just an upgrade and Ward’s on the way out, that could work too. In fact, Heavy has covered a proposal that sends Ward to the Detroit Lions this offseason.

San Francisco Tried for Surtain in 2023

In their push for a ring, the 49ers made a big move for edge rusher Chase Young before the 2023 trade deadline. Interestingly enough, the deal probably wouldn’t have happened if San Francisco’s effort to get Surtain had panned out.

Back on November 12, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on the 49ers’ interest in Surtain. Apparently, San Francisco general manager John Lynch asked around the league about potential deals and that included a conversation with the Broncos.

He also reached out to the Chicago Bears about a move for corner Jaylen Johnson. But by the time the window closed, nothing came to fruition other than the move for Young.

And according to Schefter’s report, the deal for Young only happened because the Washington Commanders lowered their price. If that hadn’t have happened, San Francisco would have likely walked away from the trade deadline with basically no new additions.