The list of available veteran safeties keeps growing and growing for the Green Bay Packers as free agency approaches. On Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Denver Broncos are releasing Justin Simmons, a two-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro at safety.
The Broncos confirmed the news in a statement released later Thursday.
Teams are cutting safeties like crazy before the start of the new league year. Simmons joins a list of released safeties including Jordan Poyer, Kevin Byard, Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs and Eddie Jackson.
Add in the class of safeties with expiring contracts, which includes Xavier McKinney, Kamren Curl, Geno Stone, Jordan Fuller, Julian Blackmon, Jordan Whitehead and Alohi Gilman, and the market at the position is flooded with experienced options.
The Packers’ need at safety is crystal clear. Darnell Savage, Rudy Ford and Jonathan Owens are all free agents, and the position group as a whole needs to improve substantially as the Packers enter 2024 under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Could Simmons, who has loads of experience at free safety, in the box and in the slot, be a legitimate option?
His pedigree is unquestionable. The former Bronco has intercepted at least three passes in six consecutive seasons. And during each of the last five seasons, he’s been named either a Pro Bowler (2020, 2023) or All-Pro (2019, 2021-23).
Simmons is entering his age 31 season and has missed seven total games over the last two years. But in games Simmons has appeared, he’s played close to 99 percent of the Broncos defense snaps since 2017.
Last season, Simmons intercepted three passes and forced two fumbles. He also defensed eight passes, recovered a fumble and recorded a sack. At Pro Football Focus, Simmons’ overall grade ranked 30th among qualified safeties last season. He remained excellent against the run but took a step back in coverage.
By pro-football-reference’s Approximate Value stat, Simmons has been one of the NFL’s most valuable safeties over the last half decade.
For his career, Simmons misses tackles on only 10 percent of attempts, and he’s intercepted more passes (30) than allowed touchdowns (24).
The Packers need at least one veteran safety in free agency, and the market is overflowing with options. Brian Gutekunst will sign at least one. The big question: does he want to go big game hunting with a player like Simmons or McKinney, or will the excess volume of veteran safeties allow Gutekunst to go bargain shopping?
