Justin Simmons Makes Case to Sign Long-Term Deal with Broncos

Simmons is scheduled to become a free agent.

The first three-time winner of the Darrent Williams Good Guy Award wants the opportunity to continue stacking franchise honors.

Addressing reporters in his weekly Zoom call, All-Pro safety Justin Simmons — scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March — expressed a strong desire to remain with the Denver Broncos beyond 2020.

“It would mean everything. I’ve had nothing but love for Colorado and Denver, specifically talking about the Broncos," Simmons said Wednesday. "They took a chance on me with a third-round pick. I know I was the last pick of the third round. They took a shot and I earned my spot in being able to become a starter and playing that out, and they stuck with me through those three or four years. It would mean everything to me. I’ve built so many great relationships here, and I’ve built so many great relationships in the community. There are so many things that I care about here. It’s a no-brainer on my end that I love this place. I love being here and I love my teammates. I know it’s been difficult times in terms of the win column here, but I truly believe there have been a lot of things that have been stacked against us in terms of injuries, guys missing time and not having a full roster. We’re just a couple pieces away from being right where everyone in Broncos Country is used to seeing the Broncos. I’ve been a part of that, and I’d like to be a part of that moving forward.”

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Simmons is in the midst of another stellar season, his fifth in Denver. He's collected a team-high four interceptions as well as 67 solo tackles and seven pass deflections across 13 games, grading out as the NFL's third-best safety, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Broncos' defense currently ranks 10th against the pass (220.7 yards per game) and opposing quarterback rating (89.9) while allowing the second-fewest passing touchdowns (16) and fourth-lowest yards per reception (10.3).

Considering the state of Denver's injury-cursed secondary, these numbers are a direct reflection of Simmons, whose elite play earned him a fully-guaranteed $11.4 million franchise tag for 2020, following months of failed long-term negotiations. The sides cannot resume talks until the offseason when the team must decide whether to again apply the tag or explore a lucrative multi-year deal.

Simmons has an estimated market value of $14.6 million annually, per Spotrac.com. He's projected to sign a five-year, $73.168 million deal as a free agent, which would make him the league's second-highest-paid S behind Washington's Landon Collins ($84 million).

An all-star on the field and a better man off it, Simmons should finally secure the proverbial bag in the months ahead, much to the delight of the teammates who hold him in unadulterated reverence.

“One of the best," Broncos QB Drew Lock said Wednesday. "I think whatever you feel that he portrays outside, he portrays in here. It's not a guy that is a two-faced type person—the one in the public, one in the media, and the one in the locker room. He carries himself with a lot of respect. He carries himself as a leader of this team and he realizes that if you're going to be the leader of an organization like this it doesn't only happen in the locker room. It happens outside the football field when they see you as a person and a human, and he's one of the best humans I've ever met.”

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