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Someone this good at his job should not be unemployed for this long, but former Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons could be working soon.
According to several reports, Simmons is scheduled to make a visit to the New Orleans Saints this week as he tries to find a team to play for in 2024 after the Broncos released him in March following three consecutive NFL All-Pro selections for Simmons.
The move cleared $14.5 million in salary cap space for the Broncos.
“New Orleans could prove to be an ideal landing spot for Simmons since the Saints have a potential opening across from Tyrann Mathieu in a starting role,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari. “Jordan Howden, who was a fifth-round draft pick last year, is currently penciled in as a starter with Johnathan Abram, Will Harris and others providing depth. The Saints’ defensive coordinator, Joe Woods, was Simmons’ defensive backs coach in Denver from 2015 to 2016 and his DC from 2017 to 2018. Also, Saints defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson was Denver’s DB’s coach from 2017 to 2018. Signing Simmons would be a win-now move for a Saints team that went 9-8 last season and has not reached the playoffs since quarterback Drew Brees’ final season in 2020.”
Rumors, Speculation Tied Simmons to Saints Before
In June, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz speculated the Saints would be the perfect fit for Simmons, who had one year remaining on a 4-year, $61 million contract extension he signed in March 2021 when he was released.
In a perfect world, Simmons is still a Bronco but he was collateral damage from the disastrous Russell Wilson contract that left the Broncos with an NFL record $85 million in dead money spread over 2024 and 2025.
“The current Saints starting free safety is Jordan Howden, a 2023 fifth-round pick who started in the second half of his rookie season and allowed 11.3 yards per target, according to FTN Data charting,” Schatz wrote. “On the other hand, Simmons was second-team All-Pro for the Broncos and may be the best free agent left available regardless of position. New Orleans should be able to fit Simmons under its salary cap, as they’ve moved from 31st to 22nd in effective cap space with some contract changes in (June.)”
Simmons Spent Decade in Football Purgatory
Simmons was drafted by the Broncos in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft (No. 98 overall) — just months after Denver won Super Bowl 50.
Simmons, however, has never played in the postseason and only played on one team with a winning record, as a rookie in 2016.
“I just want to win,” Simmons told ESPN shortly before he was released. “That’s my frame of mind, I just want to win, I want to help us do that, I want to see us do that, and that’s what I think about every day when I get up to come here.”
In Simmons’ time in Denver, he played for five head coaches and five defensive coordinators — meaning the coaching staff changed every 1.6 seasons.
