Justin Simmons, Broncos finalizing long-term deal

It took two franchise tags, but the Denver Broncos are finally getting a multi-year deal done with safety Justin Simmons.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday the Broncos and Simmons are finalizing a long-term contract, per sources informed of the situation.

The multi-year agreement has been years in the making. John Elway used the franchise tag on Simmons last year, hoping it would be a placeholder. Sides couldn’t hammer out a deal before the July deadline, forcing the star safety to play on the one-year tender.

New Broncos GM George Paton once again franchise tagged Simmons this year to keep him off the open market.

This time around, a long-term solution is coming together quickly.

Simmons’ deal is expected to make him the highest-paid safety in the NFL, and he’ll be worth every penny.

The long, athletic ball-hawk is a game-changing force. Perfect in coach Vic Fangio’s system, Simmons can cover in space, recover with speed on the backend and dive down against the run. There are few, if any, holes in his game.

Since 2018, Simmons is one of three players with 250-plus tackles and 10-plus INTs (Vikings’ Harrison Smith and Titans’ Kevin Byard). Simmons is the only player with 250 tackles and 12 INTs over that span, per NFL Research.

Not only is he a dynamic playmaker, but Simmons also doesn’t miss plays. The 27-year-old has played every defensive snap since the start of 2018 (3,067), the longest active streak by any player, per Next GenStats (including playoffs).

Locking down Simmons has been a Broncos priority for years. Finally, that deal is getting done, keeping a keystone of Fangio’s defense in Denver for the long haul.

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