Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II wants to be a perennial All-Pro selection. He hopes to one day be inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame.

With that in mind, Surtain doesn’t believe he was good enough last season. He did make a second straight Pro Bowl but wasn’t All-Pro like he had been in 2022.

“I’ve got a lot to prove,” Surtain, entering his fourth NFL season, told The Denver Gazette. “Last season wasn’t the year I wanted to have, so I’m just looking to have a better year. Looking to do what I do best.”

Surtain was ranked No. 42 out of 127 NFL cornerbacks in 2023 by Pro Football Focus. So, what does he believe he needed to have done better?

“Just play my game,’’ he said. “I feel like last year I wasn’t on top of the things that I’m really good at. Some of my technique wasn’t up to par like I wanted it to be. Last year was a good year, but I know how much potential, how much greatness I have in me. That’s just the main thing. Being able to fulfill that potential.”

Surtain has lofty goals. He took notice of former Broncos defensive back Steve Foley and tight end Riley Odoms recently being announced as 2024 inductees into the Ring of Fame.

Surtain wants to join them one day.

“Yeah, definitely,’’ he said. “When you see those (Ring of Fame) players on the wall and see what they’ve done, it just gives you great inspiration and you look forward to those things to fulfill. Obviously, I want to be a Bronco, so I definitely want to see my name up in the rafters.”

Surtain, who is on the books in 2024 with a salary-cap number of $6.67 million and in 2025 with a fully guaranteed number of $19.8 million, is eligible now for a contract extension. As he noted, he wants to remain with the Broncos.

There were rumors before the draft in April that the Broncos might be willing to dangle Surtain in a trade to move up. Did he believe there was any chance they would have dealt him?

“No,’’ he said.

For 2024, Surtain wants to again be named first-team All-Pro. But he preferred to talk about the team goal he has.

“I want to see playoffs,’’ Surtain said. “It’s early but I believe we’ve got a pretty talented team to do so. … I’m excited about this team. We’ve got a lot to build off. I’m very confident in this squad.”

The Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 in the 2015 season, a drought of eight years. They have had seven straight losing seasons.

The Broncos brought in some key pieces on defense in linemen John Franklin-Myers and Malcolm Roach and safety Brandon Jones. But they also lost linebacker Josey Jewell as a free agent to Carolina and safety Justin Simmons was released in a salary-related move.

“Obviously, it was a tough blow losing a guy like that,’’ said Surtain, who grew close to Simmons the past three seasons. “He not only was a tremendous player for Denver, but an advocate toward the community, doing great things toward the community in Denver, with the amount of people who admired him. It’s hard to lose a guy like that. I wish him nothing but the best moving forward in finding a new team and I know he’s going to do great things with his new team. But that’s my brother for life.”

With Simmons gone, Surtain seeks to take on more of a leadership rule.

“Definitely,’’ he said. “That’s the type of standard I set for myself, just being a leader out there and that’s one of the things I really look forward to, getting the guys together and leading them whether it’s on the field or off the field.”

The low-key Surtain said it’s not his personality to yell more.

“Not just leading by example, but leading by a great example,’’ he said of his goal. “The way you move, the way you talk, how you speak inspiration toward others, positive affirmation, just those little things. That’s what (results in) a great leader. Not so much of the rah-rah stuff.”

First-year Broncos defensive backs coach Jim Leonhard wants to help Surtain become even more of a leader.

“Obviously, we feel like we have one of the best corners in the NFL,’’ Leonhard said. “Excited to work with him and to just help grow the leadership side. He’s getting to the point in his career where his voice goes a long way to the team, in the DB room. So, I’m excited to continue to push him there as well as what he’s done on the field.

“So much of what he does is just so natural. It looks easy for him, and (I am) just trying to find ways to continue to get him to improve, but once again, to have more of an impact on this team on the field, off the field. That’s really his next step.”

Surtain wants to step up his game in 2024. Then again, it’s hard to find a Broncos player who agrees with his assessment that he wasn’t “up to par” in 2023.

“Pat’s the best in the world. Even last year,’’ said defensive end Zach Allen, who joined the Broncos in 2023 after playing his first four years with the Arizona Cardinals. “Pat’s terrific. … When you have a guy like that, it makes our job easier (on the defensive line). That’s the reason I came here. Pat Surtain. He’s the best.”

While Surtain wouldn’t necessarily agree with that now, there’s no doubt he wants to be the best.