Justin Simmons landing spots: Ranking the best fits for Pro Bowl safety after Broncos cutÂ
The Denver Broncos are moving on from Justin Simmons. The veteran defensive back has been a great player for them, but they're in need of a reset. They will also need to clear as much money as they can since they're taking on an unprecedented amount of dead cap in cutting Russell Wilson. This makes a former Pro Bowler available to anyone, but not everyone will be a great fit for the player. Here's who makes sense.
Top fits for Justin Simmons following Broncos career
The New York Jets make sense perhaps more than any other team for Justin Simmons. They are likely to be a contender next year with a full offseason and a healthy Aaron Rodgers. Their defense is very good already, but the safety spots could be shored up.
Jordan Whitehead is a good player, but Simmons is a former All-Pro who has a ton of interceptions to his name. He'd make a great addition behind Sauce Gardner and company.
The Los Angeles Rams are not exactly a young team, but they're still a contender. That makes them a very good spot for Simmons. Signing him could be a win-now move to capitalize on the remaining years of Matthew Stafford and then they'd reset and retool when the window closed.
The Cincinnati Bengals don't have a great secondary, and their free safety spot isn't locked down, either. They're probably going to be a little cap-strapped to try and pull this move off, but Simmons would be a good fit in their defense.
The Dallas Cowboys' secondary was absolutely shredded in their playoff loss, so it's definitely going to be something Jerry Jones looks at. They would effectively be adding Simmons and Trevon Diggs to the secondary with Daron Bland, and that's an enviable depth chart.
The San Francisco 49ers were clearly not happy with the defense last season, which is why they fired Steve Wilks. Adding a premier playmaker to the secondary, which was the weak point last year, is a good way to avoid a letdown.
The Indianapolis Colts will also likely be a contender next year with a healthy Anthony Richardson, which means they can focus on the defense. Free safety is not a strength, so the former Bronco would make a good addition to Shane Steichen's team.
The Seattle Seahawks' defense was as a whole not great last year, and their safeties weren't exactly the bright spot. They moved on from Jamal Adams, and Justin Simmons could make a very nice addition to the back end.