The Denver Broncos have had plenty of great players roam the field on Sunday and they have one that is a franchise cornerstone already.
There were some misses in the 2016 NFL draft, but one home run selection happened in the third round with Justin Simmons. Simmons has been a strong voice for believing in the foundation created by Vic Fangio and not only that but a person that embraces the Pat Bowlen way.
He is a prime example of a player/person that puts others ahead of himself. On the field, there is a clear talent shown in a scheme where he could flourish for a long time.
Simmons is a smart, intelligent player. He makes himself a great player to learn from coach Fangio. A player like Simmons is easy to trust due to him being capable of fulfilling assignments.
The game-clinching stop against the Cleveland Browns is a highlight concerning this trait. Fangio called Simmons to come close to the line of scrimmage to be closer in run support. Simmons read the run to Nick Chubb and closed fast to tackle him for loss resulting in a winning fate.
This type of play requires trust and certainly is not the first time Fangio did this. With Simmons’ athleticism, he is capable of being a free-range safety to be single high on defense.
The athleticism as mentioned earlier is where Simmons makes his mark with this team. He is exceptional in letting the instincts and athleticism take over. As Fangio trusts Simmons, Simmons trusts his God-given ability to become an All-Pro.
In his first season with Fangio, Simmons took his level to new heights the Broncos had not seen yet. There was obvious talent shown in 2016 under Wade Phillips during the Simmons rookie campaign.
However, like life always does, Simmons faced adversity in up and down seasons under Vance Joseph. Yet, through all of it, Simmons maintained that same level of confidence and faith to climb to that All-Pro mountain we saw under Fangio.
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This even keel mentality is something Simmons always displays. He knows his role on the team and in the community. As we mentioned above, Simmons is a Pat Bowlen player inside and out.
He puts teammates and those in the community ahead of himself. Simmons is one of those teammates willing to fight for the brother next to him every Sunday. In 2019 and even in previous years Simmons has shown strong signs of becoming a leader in the locker room and someone the players will hear when the moment comes.
All these things are a player born to be a franchise cornerstone. A franchise cornerstone player is not one single person on the team, but someone that models what the franchise is about.
Simmons loves to save souls and win Super Bowls. Winning a Super Bowl is the goal for a player, but as a person touching the lives of those he meets is the ultimate victory. This alone is an embodiment of a franchise cornerstone.
Here is hoping Simmons is with the Denver Broncos for the long haul.