Justin Simmons has been patient since his March Broncos release, but the perennial All-Pro safety is still unsigned two weeks into training camp. His closest post-Denver connection has emerged, though.
The Saints intend to speak with Simmons today, according to NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill. Joe Woods coached the former third-round pick in Denver, so New Orleans has several direct ties to Simmons. Marcus Robertson, the Saints’ secondary coach, also worked with Simmons during his time with the Broncos.
Woods’ tenure as Denver’s defensive coordinator (2017-18) coincided with Simmons’ promotion to the team’s starting lineup. The Broncos placed the Boston College product behind Super Bowl starters T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart in 2016, when Woods was the team’s defensive backfield coach, but released Ward prior to the 2017 season. Simmons joined Stewart in the Broncos’ starting lineup that season and remained there until Sean Payton’s first season with the club.
While Simmons has garnered understandable curiosity, it is evident that his market has not progressed to a sufficient level. The 30-year-old defensive, who has led the NFL in interceptions (30) since his rookie year in 2016, has watched other top safety prospects find new homes in recent weeks. The Titans have signed Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs, while fellow cuts Eddie Jackson (Ravens) and Marcus Maye (Dolphins) have joined the AFC.
Simmons, who has never appeared in a postseason game, has expressed a desire to join a contender. The Saints have missed the last three NFC playoffs, but they boast a veteran-laden defence, including Tyrann Mathieu at safety, and play in the NFC South. At this point, Simmons’ options may be limited. Although the eight-year veteran may continue to wait for an injury to impact his market, time is running out for him to catch on before the season. Simmons has been the best free agent available for much of the offseason, and while he has been named a second-team All-Pro in four of the last five seasons, some evaluators have considered his 2023 performance as erratic (according to the Denver Post’s Troy Renck).
Last season, the Saints used 2023 fifth-round pick Jordan Howden to fill Maye’s injury and suspension absences, but Simmons would undoubtedly be an upgrade. He played 108 games for the Broncos and was one of the league’s finest safeties for the majority of his time there, earning him a four-year, $61 million contract deal in 2021. The Saints have just over $11 million in cap space, and Mathieu is joined on the defensive depth chart by several proven veterans (Cameron Jordan, Marshon Lattimore, and Demario Davis).
Nothing close to Simmons’ Broncos contract of $15 million or more per year is available at this time, but Simmons should be able to negotiate a fair deal ahead of another free agency run in 2025.
Leave a Reply