During an appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football last week, Broncos safety Justin Simmons implied that Denver could have re-signed him before the deadline if they truly wanted to.
Broncos general manager John Elway had until July 15 to reach a multi-year agreement with Simmons. The deadline passed with no deal so Simmons will now play the 2020 season on a one-year franchise tag. After that, Simmons will be scheduled to become a free agent in 2021.
“It’s a business decision,” Simmons said. “If the Broncos wanted to get a deal done, they would have. So, the reality is — another year franchise-tagged, it’s like [a] contract year all over again. Year 2 in Vic [Fangio]’s system — with all the weapons that we have — I’m more than confident in myself and what I can do.”
Simmons followed up those remarks with a tweet that clarified that he doesn’t “single-handedly” blame anyone for a deal not getting done.
Simmons totaled 85 tackles, 15 pass breakups and four interceptions last season. He will start across from Kareem Jackson in secondary this fall.
