Safety Justin Simmons got a franchise tag from the Broncos last year when John Elway was the team’s General Manager, but he isn’t sure what new G.M. George Paton is planning to do.
Simmons had another good year for the Broncos while playing under the tag, but said he “hasn’t spoken to anyone in depth” about what the plan is for this offseason since Paton took over the role. What little he has heard has left him with the impression that the Broncos want to hold onto him.
“From everything that I’ve heard and that I’ve been a part of for five years now, it seems like Denver wants me back and I want to be there,” Simmons said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “At the end of the day, it is a business. It’s just a matter of it working out on both sides.”
Reports have indicated that another tag is likely for Simmons, who is No. 4 on PFT’s list of the top free agents. If so, he’d stand to make $13.729 million by playing out the year under its terms and that number would also serve as a framework for talks on a longer deal.