One of the most difficult pills to swallow in the mass exodus that was the 2024 offseason for the Denver Broncos was the team's decision to release veteran safety Justin Simmons. Simmons had been a mainstay in Denver since 2016, a franchise cornerstone, and someone who gave the team his very best despite the franchise going through one of its worst stretches in history.
When Simmons was released by the Broncos, it was assumed that he would land on his feet quickly and sign with another team, but that didn't happen.
It took a long time, but Simmons eventually landed in Atlanta with the Falcons, where he once again managed to get an interception off of Patrick Mahomes, on top of allowing a QB rating of just 81.9 in his coverage, the lowest number he's had in that category since 2021.
And up to this point, Simmons remains a free agent yet again.
Former Broncos safety Justin Simmons is still a free agent
Simmons is just 31 years old this offseason and still undoubtedly has some good football to offer any number of teams around the league. The Broncos probably aren't going to be pursuing a reunion anytime soon, however.
The Broncos added free agent Talanoa Hufanga to the mix this offseason alongside Simmons's replacement in 2024 free agency, Brandon Jones. They also still have PJ Locke on the roster and the Broncos really like JL Skinner's potential to contribute. They added special teams ace Sam Franklin Jr. in free agency to bolster that unit, and there are a number of other young defensive backs who could be in the mix for 2025.
Simmons has shockingly had a hard time finding landing spots after leaving the Broncos, which is difficult to understand because of Simmons's abilities on the field, his character off the field, and his ability to adapt to different defenses.
Not only that, but Simmons actually has quite a few friends in high places elsewhere around the league at this point. He's got plenty of connections in New York with the Jets, in Philadelphia, Carolina, and more. At this point, the only reasonable assumption to be made is that Simmons has been enjoying his offseason away and is mulling options before the start of camp in July.
Injuries will arise for teams. That's the ugly nature of the NFL. Teams will realize they are missing a certain piece or two on their roster, and Simmons's agent will be getting calls. One way or another, you have to figure he's not going to be unemployed much longer but the lack of demand for Simmons has been nothing short of shocking.