The Broncos’ decision to not give safety Justin Simmons a multi-year contract extension might not have had much to do with uncertainty about the NFL’s coronavirus-impacted salary cap in 2021.
Denver opted not to give Simmons an extension before Wednesday’s deadline, which means the safety will play on a one-year $11.441 million franchise tag this year before being scheduled for free agency in 2021.
The Broncos did make Simmons an offer, but it wasn’t a very good one.
Denver made an offer that would have made Simmons the fifth- or sixth-highest paid safety in the NFL, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Understandably so, Simmons declined that offer.
The league’s fifth-highest paid safety (Earl Thomas) earns an average of $13.75 million per season. The sixth-highest paid (Devin McCourty) earns an average of $11.5 million per year, barely above the value of Simmons’ tag.
On the open market, Simmons’ value would be around $14.44 million, according to an estimate from Spotrac.com. If signed to such a deal, Simmons would become the NFL’s second-highest-paid safety behind Eddie Jackson, who earns an average of $14.6 million per season.
The relatively small difference (about $3 million) between McCourty’s average and Simmons’ market value seems to suggest that Broncos general manager John Elway simply wanted a bargain. Making up the difference between those totals wouldn’t have crippled Denver’s 2021 cap outlook.
After failing to get a deal done before Wednesday’s deadline, the Broncos will not be allowed to negotiate with Simmons during the season. Denver will have to wait until next year to continue negotiating with the safety.
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