Falcons 'Smooth' Justin Simmons Visit Opens Door for Splash Signing After Judon Trade

Former Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons enjoyed a successful free agency visit with the Atlanta Falcons.

The Atlanta Falcons had a successful visit with former Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons on Tuesday and Wednesday. / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

After surprising many by trading for New England Patriots pass rusher Matthew Judon on Wednesday evening, the Atlanta Falcons may not be done quite yet.

The Falcons remain a contender for star free agent safety Justin Simmons, who visited the team Tuesday and Wednesday. And according to KPRC2, the visit went well.

"Falcons visit went smoothly all-around with veteran safety Justin Simmons, including a dinner with corner A.J. Terrell and defensive lineman Grady Jarrett," writes KPRC2.

Atlanta's first splash addition -- landing Judon -- came after losing third-round rookie outside linebacker Bralen Trice to a season-ending torn ACL in last Friday night's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins.

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The Falcons have a similar situation unfolding at safety, where DeMarcco Hellams, who was projected to be the team's No. 3 option on the backend while seeing several defensive snaps on Sundays, is out for a "significant time" with an ankle injury, head coach Raheem Morris said Monday.

This is where Simmons, who spent the last eight seasons with the Denver Broncos, enters the fold.

The 30-year-old Simmons has been named a second-team All-Pro four times in the last five years, and the lone time he missed the list, he made his first Pro Bowl in 2020.

Simmons, who stands 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, is coming off a productive campaign in which he recorded 70 tackles and three interceptions across 15 games.

He's started the last 108 games he's played and would provide another seasoned voice to a unit littered with them -- including Jarrett and Terrell, his two dinner hosts and the longest-tenured Falcons defenders.

After the addition of Judon, the biggest question on Atlanta's defense now comes at safety, where reigning All-Pro Jessie Bates III and fourth-year player Richie Grant are currently the starters.

Grant and Hellams were competing for the starting spot next to Bates, who is one of the league's most impactful players on the back end.

Adding Simmons next to Bates would give the Falcons an experienced yet productive pairing that would be amongst the best in the NFL -- and fill another glaring hole only worsened by injuries.

Simmons and the Falcons are on good terms with one another. The question now becomes whether they can agree to another kind of terms: Contractual.

And if the two sides find common ground, it will mark a considerable win for Morris, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, each of whom are already riding high after Judon's arrival.