Free Agency & Draft: 4 Safeties to Replace Kareem Jackson in Broncos' Defense

The Broncos have really bolstered the secondary by adding two top veteran cornerbacks in free agency and re-signing Justin Simmons but a gaping hole at safety remains. Here's how to fill it.

With the departure of Kareem Jackson, the Denver Broncos have an urgent need to reload at the safety position. Justin Simmons just signed a deal making him the highest-paid safety in the NFL ($15 million per year) but he needs a skilled partner. 

Although Simmons is one of the top defenders in the league, he can't do the job of two people. The Broncos need to add a high-impact teammate to effectively compete in the AFC West.

The duo of Simmons and Jackson was one of the top-ranked safety tandems in the NFL over the past two seasons. In 2020, the pair kept its often-injured cornerback group afloat, preventing the secondary from sinking into the doldrums.

The Broncos bolstered the secondary by adding two free-agent cornerbacks in Ronald Darby and most recently, Kyle Fuller. But a hole remains in the secondary in the wake of Jackson's departure. 

Now GM George Paton must go back to the well to rebuild the back end of his defense through free agency and the NFL draft. As he stated in his Thursday press conference, filling the safety position is a priority.

“It definitely is but we have a long time," Paton said. "There’s free agency, there’s a lot of safeties on the market, including Kareem, and then we have the draft. There’s also the trade market. The good thing is we don’t play a game for a while. We have a lot of time.”

Paton left the door open for a possible Jackson return, as unlikely as that may be. Meanwhile, here are a few cap-friendly safety options the Broncos can pursue to fill their safety needs.

Xavier Woods | Dallas Cowboys

The sixth-round pick from Louisiana Teach and former Cowboy is known as a talented contributor. Woods is an intelligent player that diagnosis offensive schemes swiftly. His strength is his ability to be dynamic inside the box where he leverages his tackling skills and aggressive nature. 

Woods plays best in zone coverage where his lack of top-end speed can be compensated for. He would add an aggressive mindset to the defense. Pro Football Focus projects a cap hit of $6.75 million APY.

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Jaquiski Tartt | San Francisco 49ers

The former second-round selection of the Niners is athletic and is accomplished in both man-to-man and zone coverage. He has the talent to be interchangeable between the strong and free safety position, which would fit how Vic Fangio used his safeties last year. 

Tartt is efficient in diagnosing plays and getting to the football quickly but is an average tackler which he would have to improve to stay on the field in Fangio’s defense. Tartt was placed on injured reserve due to turf toe last season. If he can regain his previous level of play, he would add quickness to the position. His PFF projected cap cost is $4.5 million APY.

NFL Draft

Trevor Moehrig | TCU

If the Broncos choose to fill the safety position through the draft, targeting Moehrig with their second-round pick would be wise. If he is available, Paton should run to the podium to announce the selection of Moehrig as he is the top safety if in the draft. 

At 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, Moehrig has the physical gifts and skills to make a decisive impact on any defense. He can lock up tight ends like Travis Kelce or play effective zone coverage to contain a Tyreek Hill. 

Jevon Holland | Oregon

If Moehrig is not available, the Broncos should look hard at Holland. Holland is a high-impact player, who, despite lacking top-level coverage skills, has displayed superior tackling with the added bonus of being able to rush the QB off the edge as a blitzer.

Paton is taking a measured approach to building the Broncos roster. The hope is that this laborious process does not miss the window to add much-needed talent to fill the empty safety position. 

Perhaps Paton should just pick up the phone and reach out to Jackson and give Fangio everything he needs to maximize 2021. It sounded like the parting of ways with Jackson was amicable, so I'm sure he would take the call.

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