The Atlanta Falcons recently made a significant addition by trading a 2025 third-round pick to the New England Patriots for four-time Pro Bowler Matthew Judon. This move was made in response to losing third-round rookie Bralen Trice for the season after the edge rusher tore his ACL.
Yet, the Falcons have also suffered injuries to their secondary, with DeMarcco Hellams set to miss a significant amount of time with an ankle injury. Hellams made 15 appearances, with four starts as a rookie last season. Now, the Falcons have responded again by signing the NFL’s best free agent available.
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Atlanta Falcons sign former Broncos safety Justin Simmons
Former Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons recently visited with the Atlanta Falcons after previously meeting with the New Orleans Saints. The belief was that he was deciding between the two NFC South division rivals. But now Simmons has made his decision.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Falcons have signed Simmons to a one-year, $8 million contract. He’ll immediately join the starting lineup for Raheem Morris’s defense, where he and Jessie Bates III will form one of the best safety tandems in the NFL.
Simmons reportedly had dinner with the Falcons head coach on Monday, where they were joined by Atlanta’s best defensive players, including Bates, Grady Jarrett, and AJ Terrell.
- Justin Simmons stats (2023): 70 tackles, 8 PD, 2 FF, 3 INT, 1 sack – Graded 33rd among safeties w/50% of snaps played
Simmons, 30, was released by the Broncos in March. Since becoming a third-round pick in 2016, he has started 108 out of 118 appearances for Denver. In that time, Simmons was named to two Pro Bowls and was a second-team All-Pro safety four times.
Related: Are the Atlanta Falcons projected to make the playoffs?