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Broncos: 3 players who have increased their free-agent value heading into 2021

By Travis Wakeman

DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 29: Taysom Hill #7 of the New Orleans Saints scrambles under pressure from DeMarcus Walker #57 of the Denver Broncos during the first quarter at Empower Field At Mile High on November 29, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 29: Taysom Hill #7 of the New Orleans Saints scrambles under pressure from DeMarcus Walker #57 of the Denver Broncos during the first quarter at Empower Field At Mile High on November 29, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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Justin Simmons, Denver Broncos
DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 22: Justin Simmons #31 of the Denver Broncos stands on the field as he warms up before a game against the Detroit Lions at Empower Field at Mile High on December 22, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

Justin Simmons

It won’t be cheap to re-sign Justin Simmons, but the Broncos will be absolutely crazy not to do it. Now  in his fifth season with the team, Simmons has become one of the best safeties in the NFL and was recently named to his first Pro Bowl.

During last offseason, the Broncos placed the franchise tag on Simmons and he signed a one-year tender for $11.4 million. Spotrac projects his annual salary to be around $14.6 million on his next contract.

That’s expensive, but some players are worth it.

Simmons has proven to be worth it as he has gotten better in each of his seasons with the Broncos. For his career, he has 381 total tackles, 15 interceptions and 35 passes defensed.

In 2020, he will likely set a career high for tackles in a single season and he has matched his career best for interceptions in a season with four. John Elway really needs to find a good deal for this player and sign him to an extension, making him one of the highest-paid safeties in the NFL.

The alternative would be to allow him to test free agency where he would be one of the biggest prizes on the entire market. Another team would swoop in and sign him probably on the first or second day of the signing period and have a perennial Pro Bowler on their  squad. .

Simmons was always going to be pricey to retain, but the kind of season he has had in 2020 pushed that number up. This is a player who knows his worth and he is going to be expecting that kind of contract.

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