After stepping down away from the longtime General Manager position, John Elway has found his successor to help renew the franchise. The Denver Broncos have officially signed George Paton to a six-year contract to be the new General Manager.
While Paton has stated that building his team through the NFL Draft will be his priority, Free Agency will be a massive part of his tenure as General Manager. In his first round of Free Agency, the Broncos will have several notable names for Paton to decide on.
While the Broncos have drafted well in recent years, retaining their young stars will be key for Paton, and it all starts this offseason. Here are the best- and worst-case scenarios for the Broncos’ 2021 Free Agents.
Denver Broncos 2021 free agent: Justin Simmons, Safety
After being drafted in the 3rd round of the 2016 Draft, Simmons has become a stalwart in the Broncos’ secondary, and the ideal player the Denver Broncos look for in a college prospect.
Simmons’ work in the community and through his foundation have earned him a Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination for two years in a row, and he continues to support local communities with his platform.
Simmons’ impact off the field is just as impressive as his impact on the field. With a career total of 16 interceptions, Simmons’ high IQ play and ball skills have transformed the Broncos’ secondary, and helped bring stability to a defense dealing with turnover all season.
With his incredible impact on and off the field, retaining Justin Simmons is a must for Paton and the front office.
Best Case Scenario: Justin Simmons returns to Denver on a long term contract, and stabilizes the safety position as well as the Broncos’ locker room for the foreseeable future. Simmons’ value to the locker room and his on-field performance makes his resigning the number one priority for the Broncos.
Worst Case Scenario: Simmons decides to move on from the Broncos and pursue a true championship team. The Broncos lose Simmons’ off-field impact, his locker room stability, and his lockdown ability in the secondary, and look to replace their superstar.
My Prediction: General manager George Paton rewards Simmons’ patience and performance with a long-term extension. Simmons should be in the range for upwards of $15 million per year per Overthecap, making him the highest-paid safety in the NFL.