For the second year in a row, the Atlanta Falcons signed the best safety on the free-agent market. Last offseason, the team gave Jessie Bates III a four-year, $64 million contract and he went on to make the first Pro Bowl of his career in 2023.
On Thursday, the Falcons signed Justin Simmons to a one-year, $8 million deal, creating arguably the top safety duo in the league. Simmons also made the Pro Bowl in 2023 but was released by the Broncos for cap reasons back in March.
The eight-year NFL veteran has recorded 30 interceptions, 443 solo tackles and 64 passes defended since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2016. Falcons fans were already salivating over the team’s new-look defense following Wednesday’s trade for Matthew Judon.
Signing Simmons on Thursday was the icing on the cake. Atlanta’s new safety changed his Twitter profile to an image of himself wearing the team’s red throwback helmets (see below):
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/FrqJfXQVsd
— Justin Simmons (@jsimms1119) August 16, 2024
The Falcons return to the field on Saturday afternoon when they take on the Baltimore Ravens, but it’s unlikely that Simmons or Judon will play. Still, both players strongly increase the team’s chances of ending a six-year playoff drought.
The goal for Atlanta now should be just to get to Week 1 as healthy as possible.
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