Tag: Jaylin Simpson

Indianapolis Colts rookie cornerback Jaylin Simpson has been signed off the team’s practice squad and to the New York Jets’ 53-man roster.

WR Irvin Charles has been placed on IR.

Additionally, we have signed DB Jaylin Simpson to the 53-man roster.

— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 11, 2024

Teams are able to sign away members of another organization’s practice squad as long as that player is added to the active roster. The Colts now have a practice squad opening that they will have to fill.

Simpson was a fifth-round pick by the Colts this past April. Although listed as a safety at Auburn, the Colts really liked Simpson’s versatility, with him coming to the NFL with over 900 snaps on the boundary and another 300-plus from the slot. For the Colts, Simpson was going to play cornerback.

But like just about any Day 3 pick, development was needed for Simpson. He proved to be an aggressive defender over the summer, but did have his ups and downs defending deeper routes. Providing special teams snaps will also be an important part for Simpson when it comes to contributing on Sundays.

Simpson was released during roster cutdowns in late-August and then signed back to the team’s practice squad immediately, where he had spent the 2024 season up to this point.

I imagine the hope on the Colts’ end was for Simpson to have a red-shirt-like year on the practice squad in 2024 and then move into a larger role in Year 2, but he will now have that opportunity with the Jets.

Linebacker Jaylon Carlies hasn’t been the only Colts’ Day 3 draft pick to make some noise early on in training camp. On Sunday, during the team’s third practice, cornerback Jaylin Simpson had a few splash plays of his own.

According to Joel Erickson of the Indy Star Simpson has been “impressive,” making at least two pass breakups on Sunday, along with coming away with an interception on an underthrown deep ball by Sam Ehlinger–although the play was overturned due to a pass interference call.

Simpson was one of the Colts’ three fifth-round picks this past April out of Auburn, where he played safety, but will be transitioning to cornerback with Indianapolis.

Although listed as a safety in college, Simpson has cornerback experience, playing 915 snaps from the boundary and another 309 from the nickel. In 2023, Simpson was one of PFF’s highest-graded safeties in coverage, recording four interceptions and four pass breakups.

Over his career, Simpson allowed a completion rate of only 52 percent, held pass-catchers to under 13.0 yards per reception, and had seven interceptions with 14 pass breakups.

“I got switched by my coaches, but it was because they knew I was a versatile guy and they felt as if I was the guy that could have played multiple positions,” said Simpson after being drafted.

“That’s just going to translate, that’s just who I am, that’s what I do. I’m just a DB, I’m not one defined defensive back. Corner, safety, nickel, I can play all of them.”

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley would say that the only given right now at cornerback is that Kenny Moore will be in the nickel. However, the battle is already starting to take shape.

Second-year cornerback JuJu Brents appears to be fairly locked into one of the starting boundary positions, while Jaylon Jones and Dallis Flowers having been competing for the playing time opposite of Brents, with Jones having taking the starting reps early on in practice.

Simpson may end up providing depth this season, but his versatility gives the Colts’ options in how they build out their defensive backfield. As the old saying goes, the more you can do.

“With Jaylin Simpson,” said GM Chris Ballard in April, “where he’s got some versatility where he can play corner, nickel, safety.”

The Indianapolis Colts announced on Thursday that they officially signed fifth-round pick Jaylin Simpson. Over the Cap now has the details on what Simpson’s rookie deal will look like.

Simpson received a standard four-year rookie contract that has a total value of $4.317 million, including a $297,016 signing bonus.

Simpson will receive the full signing bonus up front, but from a salary cap perspective, that $297,016 can be pro-rated over the life. Or, in short, the cap hit in 2024 from that bonus is just $74,254.

That pro-rated signing bonus amount plus a base salary of $795,000 makes up Simpson’s cap hit for this season, which totals $869,254.

Moving forward, a $74,254 cap hit from the pro-rated signing bonus will be on the Colts’ books all four years of the contract, along with Simpson’s base salary increasing each year as well.

In 2025, his base salary will be $960,000. In 2026, it will be $1.075 million, and then $1.190 million in 2027.

Here is a look at what Simpson’s cap hit will be each season:

2024: $869,254
2025: $1.034 million
2026: $1.149 million
2027: $1.264 million

Simpson was listed as a safety at Auburn but will be a cornerback with the Colts and comes to the NFL with experience playing both on the boundary and in the slot at the college level.

As a rookie, Simpson’s biggest impact may end up coming on special teams, but his presence does bolster the depth and competition within the cornerback room.

Following the draft, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley did say that outside of Kenny Moore, the starting boundary cornerback spots are ‘wide open.’ The favorites for those two spots are likely JuJu Brents, Dallis Flowers, and Jaylon Jones.