A big surprise sprung out of Denver this morning when the franchise announced the release of All-Pro safety Justin Simmons. Simmons, the cornerstone of the Broncos’ secondary, has become a multi-purpose tool during his eight years in the league and would be the veteran piece that takes an emerging Rams’ defense to the next level.
The Rams are stout up front. Three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald’s pass-rushing prowess has been supplemented by young studs Byron Young and Kobie Turner. With contract talks between the Rams and Ernest Jones underway, the core of the team’s front seven looks set for the future.
The enthusiasm fans have for the boys up front is shared in the surprises displayed by the Rams DB room in 2023. Ahkello Witherspoon was a welcomed addition as the former Steeler started all 17 regular-season games in 2023, recording a career-high three interceptions, 43 tackles and 14 defended passes in his inaugural year in L.A. Witherspoon was not the only promising player.
Derion Kendrick and Cobie Durant are youthful talents who continue to elevate their game, often outplaying their rookie deals. However, when youth is supplemented with veteran talent, especially at the safety position, championship-level play is the direct result.
Looking at recent history, Malcolm Jenkins, Tyrann Mathieu, Justin Reid, and even the brief return of Eric Weddle are all examples of veteran safeties signing with a new team and then guiding them to a Super Bowl victory. In fact, if you look at the history of the NFL, most championship teams have an All-Pro-level safety on their team.
With that said, how will Simmons fit on the roster? He plugs all the holes in the DB room. Need to shut down a slot receiver? Simmons has extensive experience in the slot. Need to shut down the run? He has even more experience in the box. He has the ability to defend the deep pass, he has the anticipation to make quarterbacks hesitate when throwing the ball over the middle and he has the experience to recognize offensive tendencies and change defensive coverages on the field.
Simmons is the battlefield commander you rely on when in the thick of things, the man who is able to rally the troops and prepare them to win in two-minute situations. In terms of his play, he’s a fundamentally sound player who tackles with his arms and body. He gets downfield quickly and he has stifled the efforts of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert on a yearly basis.
A player for the big moments, Simmons recorded three interceptions last season. Two were against Mahomes, including a game-sealing pick that gave Denver its first win over Kansas City since 2015 and the third was against Josh Allen in Buffalo. Simmons also had two forced fumbles, both against the Chargers in a must-win divisional matchup. He’s a big game performer.
When speaking about Simmons, Broncos insider Keith Richards had this to say.
“Justin is a big player with decent speed. He covers space well, very serviceable against the run, and is about as good as you can get against elite tight ends. He’ll instantly improve any defensive back group.”
In a division that has slot threats like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, elite tight ends like George Kittle and star running backs like Christian McCaffery, a player like Simmons neutralizes those threats. With the quarterback situations in the NFC West looking murky at best, having a safety that has dominated against the league’s best is a no-brainer. He’s an instant starter, a team elevator and the piece that will get the franchise its third ring.