Getty Justin Simmons #31 of the Denver Broncos.
The Denver Broncos enter the 2024 offseason $25.3 million over the salary cap, per Spotrac. They will also absorb some portion of an $85 million dead cap hit this coming season. How much depends on when they ultimately move on from Russell Wilson.
Denver will need to take further action to get in compliance with league rules. But they also need to make additions to the roster this offseason.
One potential move could involve two-time Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons.
“There would be no clear path to consistent production at safety if the Broncos moved on from Simmons,” The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider wrote on January 25. “Trading him could bring the Broncos a significant draft capital return, but that move would come at too great a detriment to a Denver defense that already has holes to fill elsewhere.
“Prediction: The Broncos agree to terms with Simmons on an extension that lowers his 2024 cap figure while giving him guaranteed money over the next two seasons.”
Justin Simmons INT! The @Broncos defense has back-to-back takeaways.
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This past season marked Simmons’ second Pro Bowl campaign. He also earned Second Team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press. He finished with 70 total tackles, eight pass deflections, and three interceptions despite missing two games.
Drafted in the third round in 2016, Simmons is finishing a four-year, $61 million contract.
Re-Worked Contract Could Help Cortland Sutton Remain on Broncos’ Roster
GettyCourtland Sutton #14 of the Denver Broncos.
Simmons isn’t the only player who could help the Broncos’ cap situation and come out on top themselves. Kosmider also sees a similar outcome for wide receiver Courtland Sutton coming off a 59-reception, 772-yard, 10-touchdown campaign.
“There would be no clear path to consistent production at safety if the Broncos moved on from Simmons. Trading him … would come at too great a detriment to a Denver defense that already has holes to fill elsewhere,” Kosmider wrote. “Sutton reworks his deal to garner some guaranteed money but takes a pay cut from his 2023 figure.”
The 28-year-old Sutton counts $17.3 million against the cap this season.
Sutton also carries a $17.8 million cap hit for the 2025 season. He will be 30 years old then, perhaps incentivizing the Broncos to act now.
He is in the third year of a four-year, $60.8 million pact, and he has been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks. Kosmider points to a social media post from Sutton in which the latter seemed to acknowledge his time in Denver could be up.
Broncos Need to Keep D.J. Jones Around
GettyD.J. Jones #97 of the Denver Broncos.
D.J. Jones, 29, is in the final year of a three-year, $30 million contract. He will count for $12.9 million against the salary cap next season on his current deal. He finished the season with 46 total tackles, five tackles for loss, four hits on the quarterback, three forced fumbles, two recoveries, and two sacks.
That production would be missed in this defense.
For a unit that allowed the third-most rushing yards last season, Jones’ is a presence Kosmider argues would be difficult to affect a turnaround without.
“The Broncos were not a good team against the run in 2023. Correcting that issue has to be a major priority this offseason, and not having Jones would only make that task more difficult,” wrote Kosmider. “The Broncos reach a two-year extension with Jones.”