In an ideal world, the Denver Broncos would not have had to consider releasing safety Justin Simmons after he earned his third consecutive NFL All-Pro award in 2023.
But here we are, and Simmons is without a home in what appears to be the prime of his career — one that Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder believes should continue with the San Francisco 49ers, who are one of the favourites to win the Super Bowl this season.
“It’s kind of surprising that Justin Simmons is still available,” Holder said. “The Denver Broncos were up against the cap at the start of the offseason, thus he was let go mostly due to his hefty deal, which will not be an issue at this point in the game. Additionally, the eight-year veteran has a limited injury history and was productive last season. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers plan to start Talanoa Hufanga and Ji’Ayir Brown at safety. Hufanga is returning off a ruptured ACL, and while Brown performed admirably as a rookie, it couldn’t hurt to add another veteran to the mix during training camp to provide as another starting option.”
The 49ers have appeared in the Super Bowl twice in the last five seasons, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2019 season and again in 2023. Both times, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes rallied his squad by dismantling San Francisco’s secondary and was awarded Super Bowl MVP.
Based on that history, the 49ers should consider spending their $31.5 million in cap space to sign one of the NFL’s greatest defensive backs.
Simmons: A Great Player on Really Bad Teams.
Despite not making the playoffs in eight seasons and only winning one season (9-7 in 2016), Simmons was named to the NFL All-Pro Team four times during his career in Denver, including each of the final three.
The 2016 third-round pick from Boston College led the NFL with six interceptions in 2022 despite missing a career-high five games due to injury.
Simmons earned $11.4 million in 2020 while on the franchise tag with the Broncos, and before the 2021 season, he became the highest-paid safety in the NFL with a four-year, $61 million deal extension.
Simmons was the longest-tenured member on the Broncos roster at the time of his departure, having appeared in 118 career games. The move freed up $14.5 million in cap space for the Broncos, who are facing an NFL record $85 million in dead money over the next two seasons.
“Justin Simmons’ impact as a Denver Bronco extends far beyond his exceptional play during eight seasons with our organization,” the Broncos announced in a statement following his departure. “In addition to growing into an All-Pro and team captain, Justin became our perennial Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year devoted to uplifting others and using his influence for positive change.”
Who Will Replace Simmons in the Broncos’ Lineup?
The Broncos replaced Simmons at free safety with Brandon Jones, who signed a three-year, $20 million contract in March 2024 after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Miami Dolphins.
Jones started only six games for the Dolphins in 2023, but he recorded a career-high two interceptions and four pass breakups.
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