Simmons franchise tagged for 2nd year
Ahead of the start of free agency on March 17, the Broncos placed the franchise tag on safety Justin Simmons Friday for the second consecutive year.
Simmons remains free to negotiate with other teams, but the Broncos will have the right to match any offer sheet. If they don’t, they will receive two first-round draft picks.
“Designating Justin with the franchise tag is a procedural move that allows us to continue working on a long-term deal,” general manager George Paton said in a statement. “We are completely focused on making sure Justin remains a big part of the Denver Broncos for many years to come.”
Simmons, 27, is the first player to be franchise tagged this offseason and the second safety to be tagged in consecutive years. Jacksonville safety Donovin Darius was tagged three consecutive seasons from 2003-05.
A player tagged for the second straight year is offered a tender of 120% of his previous year’s salary ($11.441 million). Simmons would get $13.73 million, which is fully guaranteed upon signing. That would not preclude the sides from continuing to work out a longterm deal.
That Paton rubber-stamped the tag could be an indication the sides aren’t as far apart financially as they were last July. The Broncos and
Simmons’ camp can attempt to work out a longterm deal until mid-July.
“Our goal since I got here is to sign him to a long-term deal,” Paton said Thursday. “We have had discussions with his agent. I don’t know if we’ll get a deal done or not, but that’s our goal. He’s the type of guy we want to extend.”
A long-term deal could help both sides. It would reward Simmons the security of millions of dollars in guaranteed money. For the Broncos, it would allow Paton and Co. to enter free agency with spending flexibility since a long-term contract would likely be constructed with a lower cap hit at the front end, as is the case with left tackle Garett Bolles this year ($5 million).
Simmons is productive (16 career interceptions) and durable (his 3,211 consecutive snaps played is the current longest streak for a defensive player). A thirdround pick out of Boston College in 2016, Simmons became a full-time starter in 2017 and has 373 tackles in 74 games. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2019 and a Pro Bowl selection last year.
In 2020, Simmons led the Broncos with five interceptions. He racked up 96 tackles (72 solo), plus nine passes defensed and a fumble recovery, making him the only player in the league with more than 90 tackles and five or more interceptions. He is also one of five safeties in Broncos history to be named a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro while with the team.
Meanwhile, during Paton’s tenure as a Vikings’ executive, Minnesota used the franchise tag twice, with one of those tags resulting in a long-term deal. The Vikings placed the tag on linebacker Chad Greenway in 2011 but then came to a multi-year deal before the deadline. Last year safety Anthony Harris played on the tag.