Less than 24 hours after adding four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Matthew Judon via trade, the Atlanta Falcons landed free-agent safety Justin Simmons, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time second-team All-Pro.
Simmons agreed to a one-year deal with $7.5 million guaranteed and a $500,000 bonus if he is named a first-team All-Pro, team sources told The Athletic. The Falcons, who will pay Judon $6.5 million this year, will restructure the contract of offensive lineman Chris Lindstrom to free up salary-cap room. They could do the same with the contracts of Jake Matthews, Grady Jarrett, Jessie Bates III and David Onyemata if more room is needed.
The Falcons employed a full-court press to sign Simmons. General manager Terry Fontenot, head coach Raheem Morris and defensive standouts Bates, Jarrett and cornerback A.J. Terrell took him to dinner recently to pitch the team’s case.
On Thursday before the Simmons deal was done, Bates hinted he’d be happy to have company in the secondary.
“No names or nothing, but if there is somebody Terry and them think can help our team, we are more than willing to help our team,” Bates said. “Come join and get on the wave.”
The combination of Bates, who joined the Falcons as a free agent last offseason, and Simmons gives Atlanta arguably the best safety duo in the NFL. No safeties in the NFL have had more combined interceptions and forced incompletions than Simmons (51) and Bates (47), according to Pro Football Focus. The Falcons’ depth at the position took a hit last week when Demarcco Hellams suffered an ankle injury in the team’s preseason opener against Miami.
Simmons, a third-round pick by the Broncos in 2016, had 604 tackles and 30 interceptions in eight years in Denver. He was released by the Broncos in March. His addition along with that of Judon should bolster a defense that finished 18th in points allowed last year (21.9).
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Jeff Howe contributed.
(Photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
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