After trying to make things work with several inherited players, Sean Payton has effectively jumpstarted a rebuild for the Denver Broncos. While their biggest offseason move involved releasing quarterback Russell Wilson, the team also made star safety Justin Simmons a free agent. Originally selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft , the Boston College product immediately established himself as one of the game’s best playmakers at the position. While the Broncos have not found playoff success with Simmons on the roster, the safety has been a franchise fixture over the past eight seasons.
While Justin Simmons was still a reliable player in 2023, the Broncos had no choice but to release him and make him a free agent. Denver had to eat a record-setting amount of dead money to part ways with Wilson, and releasing him gave the team no choice but to start a rebuild. In order to save some much-needed cap space, the Broncos showed Justin Simmons the door.
Despite entering his age-31 season, Justin Simmons is still a good player and is likely the best option remaining on the free agent market. While plenty of teams are still looking for additional reinforcements in the secondary, NFL Network’s Nick Shook believes that the Indianapolis Colts are the best fit.
Indianapolis Colts Tagged As Potential Justin Simmons Free Agent Destination
In his latest article, the NFL analyst gives his reasons for Justin Simmons being an ideal free agent fit for the Colts. Going out of his way to point out that the 30-year-old has not dropped off, Shook believes that the safety could be a much-needed addition for a team hoping to make the playoffs.
…Simmons will still provide a significant boost to the team he joins. Let’s pair him with Indianapolis, where former seventh-round pick Rodney Thomas is currently slated as the starting free safety. The Colts have enough cap space to snag Simmons and upgrade the back end of their defense, which could use a playmaker like Simmons even after the retention of Kenny Moore II . Plus, with a healthy Anthony Richardson , they’ll expect to be a playoff contender, making for an attractive fit for Simmons.
The Colts came one game away from making the playoffs last year, so it stands to reason that they could push for the Wild Card with a healthy Anthony Richardson. This team wants to upgrade their secondary, as they narrowly missed out on trading for L’Jarius Sneed. Justin Simmons doesn’t play the same position, but he can bring some much-needed talent to the secondary as a free agent.
Of course, Indianapolis won’t be the only team trying to sign Justin Simmons as a free agent. Even though he is on the older side, he’s still an above-average playmaker with a good nose for the ball. Players like that matter more than ever in today’s NFL, and the following five teams could make a push for him.
Possible Team Fits
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills recently signed Mike Edwards , but the former Buccaneer is nothing more than a stopgap option at this point in his career. Buffalo’s defense is built around having strong play at the safety position, and Justin Simmons can provide that as a free agent. This team will always be competitive as long as Josh Allen is under center, and Simmons could be the missing piece to push this team toward a title.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions came inches away from making the Super Bowl in 2023 despite a subpar defense. Despite most of the offensive pieces coming back for one more season, the Lions haven’t spent too much money on fixing that side of the ball. C.J. Gardner Johnson spent most of the 2023 season on the injured reserve and the team clearly missed his presence. Now that he’s back in Philadelphia, the Lions could upgrade by signing Justin Simmons as a free agent.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints refuse to rebuild, which means they could be interested in signing a free agent like Justin Simmons. Any offense with Derek Carr under center will never be an unstoppable juggernaut, so the team will have to build the defense if they want to win an improved NFC South. Simmons and Tyrann Mathieu could form one of the best safety duos in football, even though both players are on the older side.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have lost a lot of talent in free agency, including former seventh-round pick Geno Stone . Despite his humble beginnings, Stone turned into a valuable piece of Baltimore’s defense and recorded seven interceptions last year. Nobody uses three-safety looks more than the Baltimore Ravens, so the team could sign Justin Simmons as a free agent and have him handle the deep part of the field.
Kansas City Chiefs
With L’Jarius Sneed on the Titans , Kansas City’s secondary is suddenly a serious question mark. While Trent McDuffie is great, the Chiefs safeties will need to step up their game for the inevitable drop in cornerback play. Chamarri Conner showed some promise last year, but Bryan Cook and Justin Reid are nothing special. If any team knows what Justin Simmons can bring as a free agent, it’s the Chiefs. He should be a short-term upgrade, and the Chiefs have the money to spend up on the position.
Main Photo: Isaiah Downing – USA Today Sports
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