Justin Simmons' prolonged free agency has led him to a new home: Atlanta.
The veteran safety is signing a one-year, $8 million deal with the Falcons, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Thursday, per sources. Of the $8 million, $7.5 million is fully guaranteed, per Rapoport.
After Denver released Simmons in order to create salary cap space in March, the two-time Pro Bowler spent the entire offseason wandering the prairies of free agency. Recently, he visited a pair of NFC South clubs (New Orleans and Atlanta) before deciding he'd play his ninth NFL season with Raheem Morris' Falcons.
Simmons brings with him a sterling reputation built on an NFL-best 30 interceptions recorded since 2016, and stands as the only player in the league to record at least two interceptions in every season from 2016-2023. The 30 picks are the third-most among active safeties behind Minnesota's Harrison Smith (34) and New Orleans' Tyrann Mathieu (33).
With four second-team All-Pro honors to his name, Simmons has maintained a place as one of the NFL's top safeties, but suffered as part of a Broncos defense that finished 29th in yards allowed per game and 27th in points allowed per contest in 2023, posting his lowest coverage grade (63.4) since 2018, per Pro Football Focus. Without him, the Broncos were significantly worse, surrendering 49 points and 338 passing yards per game in the two contests in which Simmons did not participate (a 70-20 loss to Miami and 31-28 win over Chicago) last season.
This reality couldn't convince Denver to keep Simmons, not after they took a massive dead cap hit by releasing quarterback Russell Wilson.
Simmons will aim to continue his otherwise stellar career in a new uniform, adding talent to a Falcons defense that already features standout safety Jessie Bates.
