The Denver Broncos' safety position has been an area of concern for pretty much the entire offseason, and the latest comments from defensive coordinator Vance Joseph aren't going to help anyone who may have been losing sleep over it.
Joseph was asked after practice on Thursday whether or not the amount of time free agent safety Brandon Jones has missed this offseason was a concern of his, and Joseph's response was pretty telling...
Vance Joseph was asked if he’s concerned about the amount of time Brandon Jones has missed: “That’s always a concern… having him back out there and getting reps is important”
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) August 22, 2024
Not only did Joseph say that it was a concern that Jones has missed so much time this offseason (due to a hamstring injury), but he doubled down when he was asked whether cornerback Levi Wallace -- also dealing with a hamstring injury in recent weeks -- had missed so much time as well.
"Well, again -- when guys miss time, it's not a good thing. I think, especially with Levi, he's a veteran corner who's played a lot of football. So he's super smart. So the mental part I don't worry about with him as a corner. But the safety spot's a little different. Different system for Brandon, different calls, different language. I think Levi's in a different boat than Brandon."
- Broncos DC Vance Joseph
The fact that Joseph went out of his way to differentiate the situations of Levi Wallace and Brandon Jones is concerning. Not just for the fact that they play different positions, but you can't help but get the impression that there's something else potentially going on with Jones's situation overall. He's missed a lot of the offseason after signing a three-year, $20 million deal with the Broncos earlier in the offseason.
Meanwhile, the Broncos cut Justin Simmons and didn't try to bring him back (that we know of) when he was sitting there and available for the majority of the offseason.
Broncos might be second-guessing Justin Simmons decision soon
If you're a consistent reader of the site, you might be tired of hearing about Justin Simmons at this point. He's now a member of the Atlanta Falcons where he signed a one-year contract worth up to $8 million.
Bringing back Simmons could have solidified the new-look defense in Denver and now, that option is off the table. If the Broncos have to bring in supplemental depth at the safety position before the start of the season, the decision not to bring Simmons back on a reduced deal, or at least make it public that they were offering it, is going to be seriously questioned by the fan base.
And if Brandon Jones struggles or struggles to stay healthy, fair or not, the criticism is going to be brutal. We all understand that the Broncos had to save cap space and cutting Simmons saved them a lot. And by a lot, we're talking $14 million.
Even still, the idea of the Broncos having persistent issues at safety this year is nonsensical and roster malpractice, even beyond just Justin Simmons's situation. There were a plethora of safeties available in free agency (and there still are, frankly), and the Broncos prioritized PJ Locke and Brandon Jones. Nothing wrong with that, unless it goes haywire.
And from the way defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is talking about Brandon Jones now, I'd say we have plenty of reasons to be concerned.