Justin Simmons Dishes on the 'Different Feel' Vance Joseph Has as DC

Justin Simmons had some interesting things to say about Vance Joseph in a discussion with Mile High Huddle.

Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons is entering his eighth season in the NFL. He's a three-time All-Pro and is frequently placed near the top of many league safety rankings, meaning he knows something about playing defense in the NFL. 

When Simmons talks about the Broncos' 2023 defense, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, and the outlook of the team's safety position, fans should take heed. This is exactly what he did when he sat down with Mile High Huddle for an interview.

Fans will recognize Joseph on the sideline coaching the defense. After his stint as the Broncos head coach from 2017-18, there is reason for Broncos Country to have reservations about what Joseph brings as a coach. 

However, Simmons mentioned Joseph when discussing what gives him confidence in the 2023 defense. 

"I think his knowledge—he has been doing this for so long he just knows the ins and outs of what works and what doesn't work and what works for him," Simmons told me. "I think he adjusts really well, he adjusts really well to the players around him and how to utilize their skills. I've known that before, but I think getting a different feel and really seeing a different version of him as a DC and being a little bit more hands-on, and it has been great having him back. I was always a big VJ fan, and I'm so excited to get to work with him again."

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Simmons is looking forward to the regular season starting because of Joseph, in part. After the defensive performance in 2022 and the fact that the unit has most of the same players returning from last season, there is every reason to believe the Broncos can be a formidable unit again. 

It'll be up to Joseph, as the defensive coordinator, to not only get the most out of those players but to put them in position to make a play when it matters most. That was something last season, along with injuries, that impacted the Broncos' inability to secure victory in many close games, having lost nine one-score contests. Increasing the number of takeaways, especially late in games, would be a significant improvement under Joseph.

Some of the weight of making an impact may fall on the shoulders of the safety group. Currently, it's a combination of two very experienced players, in Simmons and Kareem Jackson, with some very young players. 

"I think we got a great group, I selfishly think we got one of the better groups, best groups on the team, and I see the guys work," Simmons said. "I work with them every day and know how they think and know how they're interacting in the room. Even P.J. Locke too. He's been great. He is like a workhorse for us, especially on the special teams side of the ball. All those guys have so much talent, and I am just really excited to see them flourish in camp. Everyone knows the roster is what it is, but we love each other. Those guys work hard, and all of them have the potential to play and play a lot of big-time games in this league."

This is a ringing endorsement for the Broncos' safety group as a whole and for the up-and-comers who are young and ready to step into a role on the team. Training camp will reveal how this final group takes shape, but the safeties could be a key to the success of the defense if the potential Simmons describes comes to pass. 

The Broncos defense has the potential to be a solid unit, but it will be up to Joseph to get the most out of the players and make the right calls during the game. 

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