DENVER — The Broncos and Justin Simmons could not come to a multi-year contract agreement by July 15. But that did not mean the door to keeping him for the long term is closed.
When John Elway sat down for a Zoom conference call with local media on July 28, he made that clear.
Elway explained that the numbers were “far apart” between Simmons and the Broncos. He acknowledged that concerns about the 2021 salary cap and the outlay of guaranteed money were factors in the inability to come to terms on a deal.
Then he propped open the door.
“Hopefully, with what we think of Justin, we can get something done next year in the offseason,” Elway said. “We’d like to make him a Bronco for a long time because he’s the type of person that we want, as I said before this year started.
“It’s unfortunate that it didn’t work out.”
Simmons was listening.
“Being able to hear John come out and say, ‘Things weren’t close and we weren’t able to get things done,’ obviously, that’s on both sides,” Simmons said on Aug. 6. “But hearing the reiteration of like, ‘He’s the type of guy that we want here,’ for the things that I’ve done — both on and off the field — for Denver, that still stands on my end, too.
“I’d love to be able to be here and continue to keep growing and doing the things that I’ve been doing.”
On the field, he emerged as one of the best safeties in the game last year, proving to be a perfect fit for Vic Fangio’s scheme. Another season like the one he turned in last year would provide assurance that he is worth the kind of money that the top handful of safeties receive — in the range of $14 million per year, with $30 million guaranteed.
But it was away from it where Simmons had a profound impact — and where he showed his team-leadership skills.
With the franchise tender unsigned until just before the July 15 deadline, Simmons was not a part of the virtual offseason. However, he did join his teammates in Denver on June 6 when the Broncos gathered for a Black Lives Matter rally and march in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Simmons’ presence at a similar rally in his home of Martin County, Florida six days earlier helped provide an impetus for what he did with his teammates — and spurred others to action. Whether you agree with Simmons’ cause or not, there is no question about the impact it had in the locker room.
He learned a lot about others. And himself, too — specifically, the power his voice can have.
“Just having the temporary platform that I have, my voice is more powerful than I tend to give it credit for,” he said. “ There are people out there that want the opinions that I have and want to hear me talk about certain things that are going on, and they give certain people whatever it may be — some type of hope or whatever the case may be.
“I just learned that about myself, that it’s important to not just keep those things between myself, close friends and family, but to be able to speak up and speak out on some of those things, because it is important, and it does matter.”
A player that speaks up in public will likely speak up when needed in the privacy of the locker room and the on-field huddle. Simmons is well-equipped to do that.
Like Elway said, Simmons is the “type of person” the Broncos want. If he remains the type of player Fangio needs at safety, and the type of leader that brings the locker room together, re-signing him becomes essential.
It won’t happen tomorrow or next month. But don’t rule it out for the coming offseason.
