Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons becomes first NFL player to get franchise tag in 2021, per reports

The Denver Broncos are playing tag once again.

For the second straight year, the team is franchising star free safety Justin Simmons – he made the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2020 – according to multiple reports.

Simmons, 27, has 12 interceptions and nearly 300 tackles over the past three seasons – a stretch when he has not missed a single game.

He stands to make $13.7 million if he plays on the tag in 2021 but has until July to sign a long-term extension.

A third-round pick out of Boston College in 2016, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the league's eighth-best safety in 2020 – a dip after he came in second overall in 2019.

Broncos FS Justin Simmons has played five years for the Broncos. (Photo: Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)

“Justin is one of our core guys," new Broncos general manager George Paton said Thursday.

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"Our goal since I got here is to sign him to a long-term deal. 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.”

Simmons becomes the first player tagged in 2021. NFL teams have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to use the franchise or transition tag to secure one of their pending free agents.

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Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.

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