Broncos’ Draft Needs: Will Denver address safety depth or top-end talent in the draft?

For a third-straight year, the Denver Broncos and Vic Fangio will have arguably the best safety duo in the league.

Led by the NFL’s highest-paid-safety Justin Simmons and hard-hitting Kareem Jackson, the Broncos’ starting safeties are set in stone for 2021.

But that doesn’t mean George Paton won’t address the position in the draft. Here’s when the Broncos could land a safety.

Special thanks to Andre Simone for providing draft input.

Current players on the roster

Starters: Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson

Depth: Trey Marshall, P.J. Locke

Level of need entering the draft: Very minimal… for now

Strength of position in draft: Lacking in dynamic talent

Round(s) targeted: Day 2 or Day 3

Top players in the draft: Trevon Moehrig (TCU), Richie Grant (UCF), Jevon Holland (Oregon)

No matter who or where Denver drafts a safety this year, they won’t be starting. Heck, if Simmons and Jackson stay health, as they have since the two teamed up at the start of the 2019 season, then any other safety will barely see the field in 2021.

And it’s very good the Broncos won’t be counting on this safety class to deliver this year. DNVR’s draft analyst Andre Simone classified this year’s safety class as “pretty bad.”

In the past two years, outside of the three games Jackson missed at the end of the 2019 season, Kareem and Simmons missed a total of 14 snaps. Since Simmons hasn’t missed a single defensive snap since 2017, Kareem accounted for those 14 missed snaps. In fact, last year, the two missed a total of five snaps — five.

Vic Fangio won’t approach the safety position by committee when he has Simmons and Kareem.

However, Denver not only needs to address depth at the position, but they also need to find Jackson’s successor sometime in the next 13 months.

If George Paton is simply looking to add depth to go along with undrafted safeties Trey Marshall and P.J. Locke, the Broncos can wait until the back half of Day 3.

However, if Denver wants to find the next stud safety to pair with Simmons for after the 2021 season, then picking a safety in the second or third round is not out of the question one bit. This move would be the ultimate investment in the future as it would be purely a developmental pick that likely wouldn’t have much of a role on defense this year. If Paton goes this route, it would clearly signal that 2021 will be Kareem’s final year as a Bronco.

But the Broncos don’t have to find Jackson’s successor in this year’s draft. If Denver doesn’t take a safety until Day 3, Paton could wait until 2022 free agency or next year’s draft to land his successor or decide to sign Jackson up for another year, even thought he’ll be 34.

George Paton has put himself in a very favorable position when it comes to the safety position. Not only does he have an elite starting duo, he doesn’t have to force anything when it comes to drafting the position this year. But if the right player falls to Denver, Paton will be in a great position to act.