Denver Broncos: 5 of the best moves made this offseason
1. Re-signing Justin Simmons
The best and biggest and even most important move of the Denver Broncos’ 2021 offseason was unquestionably re-signing Justin Simmons to a record-setting contract.
For the time being, Simmons has the highest AAV on his contract of any player in the NFL at the safety position. He is more than deserving of that title for however long it winds up lasting.
Re-signing Simmons was so much more than just bringing back a good player for the Denver Broncos, and Simmons is undoubtedly a good player. Since he was selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Boston College, he’s picked off 16 passes and broken up 37.
The guy hasn’t missed a single snap since 2017, he has been a two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, and has represented the Denver Broncos both on and off the field with excellence.
It was shocking that Simmons did not receive a contract extension in the 2020 offseason, and at his end-of-season press conference after the conclusion of the 2020 campaign, it really felt like goodbye.
That was, until George Paton came in, the Denver Broncos tagged Simmons again, and this time made it a priority to re-sign him well in advance of the deadline to do so.
Re-signing Simmons was crucial because if he couldn’t get a long-term deal from the team and one that resets the market, who could?
Simmons did everything right, above and beyond expectations. Letting him walk in free agency or even trying to re-sign him at a below-market deal would have been such a bad look from the Broncos’ front office and would have sent a ripple effect through the locker room, sending the message to players that no matter how well you play or how much you do for the community, you’re not guaranteed a new contract.
There are certainly still no guarantees, but Simmons was richly rewarded for his outstanding representation of the Denver Broncos as a player and leader off the field.