NFL Trade Rumors
Justin Simmons is a model of consistency. With a reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the league since the retirement of Kam Chancellor, Simmons spent the first eight years of his career in Denver. With the Broncos, he was a key piece of their defense for a long time, totaling 603 tackles and 30 interceptions in his eight seasons there. Coverage was his specialty, but he was tough in run support as well and could be deployed all over the defense.
Eventually Simmons’ time in Denver came to an end and he played for the Falcons last year, putting up a solid season statline of 62 tackles and a pair of interceptions. His play has declined a bit in recent years, with his PFF grade dropping to 59.8 last year after being in the 70s and 80s most of his time with the Broncos.
While he’s no longer a lockdown, do-it-all safety net on the back end, he can still be an effective complementary piece for a defense in need of reinforcements in the secondary. Simmons’ experience in the Vic Fangio-style defense that’s en vogue around the league is also notable and should help broaden the potential landing spots.
Simmons, 31, is a former third-round pick of the Broncos out of Boston College back in 2016. He played out the final year of his four-year, $3.02 million rookie contract that included a $645,420 signing bonus and was franchise-tagged by the Broncos in 2020.
Simmons was franchised again before he signed a four-year, $61 million extension with the Broncos in 2021. He was set to make a base salary of $14.5 million in the final year of that deal in 2024 when the Broncos released him in February.
Atlanta signed Simmons to a one-year, $8 million contract for the 2024 season.
In 2024, Simmons appeared in 16 games for the Falcons and recorded 62 total tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and seven pass deflections.
We have him included in our Top 100 Available NFL Free Agents list.
The Bills did a good job retooling on defense this offseason. After a season in which QB Josh Allen won his first MVP but the defense failed to live up to their end of the bargain, Buffalo knew they needed more firepower on that side of the ball. ED Joey Bosa replaced Von Miller in free agency, and draft picks CB Maxwell Hairston, DT T.J. Sanders, and DT Deone Walker should provide reinforcements at key areas on the roster. Hairston might need an adjustment period to be a quality starter, but the upside is there.
Safety remains a question mark, however. The trio of Damar Hamlin, Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop made for one of the worst safety groups in the league last season, with Hamlin and Bishop ranking outside the top 80 safeties in PFF grade. Rapp was the highest graded of the three, with a 57.7 grade that ranked just 75th overall. If the Bills’...
