Connect with us

Features

The Denver Broncos’ Must-Keep Asset

When it comes to underrated players in the NFL, Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons is near the top of most analysts’ lists. 

Earning a Pro Football Focus grade of 90.7, second among safeties in 2019, Simmons was the true backbone of a 2019 Broncos defense filled with stars, including outside linebacker Von Miller and cornerback Chris Harris Jr.

The top safeties in the league excel at tackling, pass coverage and rush defense, which are all skills that Simmons possesses. 

The fifth-year safety finished tied for second on the team with 93 tackles, along with defending 15 passes and intercepting four, both team-highs. His play earned him a second-team All-Pro selection, but not a new contract.

Simmons will enter the 2020 season on the franchise tag, earning $11.441 million, while betting on himself to play at No.1 safety level. But even if he doesn’t quite live up to the high expectations he has set for himself, this is not the kind of guy General Manager John Elway wants to let out of Dove Valley.

The Broncos will be on a brighter stage this year, mostly because of second-year quarterback Drew Lock, but NFL fans will surely want to tune in when Simmons is on the field. Top safeties like Vikings Harrison Smith and Jets Jamal Adams are known to “fly around the field”, and that’s exactly what Simmons does.

The former third-round pick from Boston College is also one of the most reliable players in the league, having played every defensive snap for the past two years. While off the field, Simmons is a highly-regarded community member, earning a nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. 

Simmons has publicly stated that he wants to stay in Denver, Elway has stated that he views the safety as a key part of the future, so the Broncos have one very important job this upcoming offseason.

Open up the checkbook. It doesn’t matter what he costs, it doesn’t matter who you have to give up. Simmons is the kind of player that’s going to bring another Lombardi trophy to Mile High.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured Articles

Featured Writers

More in Features