Could a former Denver Broncos defensive standout end up signing with a hated rival for 2025?
Many former players have come and gone on the Denver Broncos, and one of the more notable exits was the team releasing long-time safety Justin Simmons last offseason. Simmons played in Denver from 2016-2023 and turned out to be one of the best safeties in the NFL for much of his tenure.
Simmons ended up signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, and while the Falcons defense was flat-out terrible, Justin Simmons did play well himself. Simmons is again on the free agency market, and one of his fits could be on a hated division rival...
Could Justin Simmons land with the Las Vegas Raiders?
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports named the Las Vegas Raiders as one of the best fits for free agent safety Justin Simmons:
"Linked to big-name cover men like Jaire Alexander and Jalen Ramsey thanks to their dearth of proven options at cornerback, the Raiders could just as easily use a savvy starter on the back end under the defensively minded Pete Carroll. Besides possessing plenty of 2025 salary cap space to add help, the Raiders also employ pass game coordinator Joe Woods, who served as Simmons' first defensive backs coach in Denver."Cody Benjamin
I have always joked that the Raiders love signing washed-up defensive backs, but Simmons does still seem to be playing at a high level, and as of now, Vegas' projected safety starters are Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao, so they could absolutely use another player on the backend.
And overall, the Raiders just do not have a good defense on paper, so Pete Carroll may pound the table for an addition like Justin Simmons. The Broncos have totally remade their safety room since Simmons' departure, and it's honestly gotten a lot better. Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga could end up being the best tandem in the NFL, as Jones was excellent last year, and Hufanga is the perfect complement to Jones.
Justin Simmons had a great tenure with the Denver Broncos, but it seems like he's at a stage of his career where he's got to take it year-by-year. Would signing with the Las Vegas Raiders be a good fit for the free agent?