Colts should sign veteran free agent safety Justin Simmons to shore up secondary

The Colts are a well-rounded football team right now, but they could bolster the backend of their depleted secondary with a still unsigned former NFL All-Pro veteran safety.

Still armed with a projected $25.9M of available team salary cap space, the question is whether the Indianapolis Colts will do anything to shore up their secondary—particularly at their increasingly depleted safety position.

One unsigned key player, currently ranked as NFL.com’s 37th best free agent, is former Denver Broncos veteran safety Justin Simmons, who was released earlier this offseason:

37. Justin Simmons

S · Age: 30

Thirty-year-old safeties won’t break the bank in this market, but Simmons is a surefire upgrade to many rosters. His leadership, experience and playmaking ability (he’s still got enough) should warrant a multi-year deal.

The former 2016 third round pick of the Denver Broncos became a 4x NFL 2nd-Team All-Pro, 2x NFL Pro Bowler, and NFL interceptions co-leader for the Mile High City during his first 8 pro seasons.

Now 30 years old, Simmons is coming off a season for the Broncos in which he recorded 70 tackles (53 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 8 passes defensed, a sack, and 2 forced fumbles during 15 starts in 2023.

Per PFF (subscription), Simmons was their 42nd best graded safety last season with a +67.9 overall grade—highlighted by a +77.6 run defense grade. While Simmons was solid, it was his lowest graded season since 2018 (where he registered a +60.9 overall grade).

That being said, the Colts currently have re-signed free agent starter Julian Blackmon and question marks at the other starting safety position next to him—where the key internal candidates to start are either Rodney Thomas II or Nick Cross.

Each young safety has shown some initial flashes, but also struggled with consistency on a weekly basis—including some blown coverage assignments.

The Colts were already dealt a blow to the safety position when Daniel Scott, who was running with their first-team defense in minicamp, suffered a season-ending torn Achilles.

Simmons could solidify the backend of the Colts secondary much like another former Denver Bronco veteran safety turned Colts did, i.e. Mike Adams back in 2014-16. As a veteran safety stopgap, Adams became a 2x NFL Pro Bowler for Indianapolis. The Colts also had success with Rodney McLeod as a veteran safety in a more recent season (2022).

Right now, Simmons would be a significant short-term upgrade at starting safety alongside Blackmon for a Colts team with serious playoff aspirations—including reclaiming the AFC South’s divisional crown: