DENVER (KDVR) — Justin Simmons will be a Bronco in 2021 after the team put the franchise tag on the safety Friday.
First reported by Benjamin Allbright at our news parter 850 KOA, the two sides are working on a long-term deal.
Simmons will receive a 20% raise in 2021 – $13.7 million – which is guaranteed if he signs the deal. Both sides have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term contract.
He is the first NFL player to receive the franchise tag this offseason. The Broncos used the franchise tag on Simmons in 2020, giving him a 1-year, $11,441,000 contract.
“Justin is one of our core guys,” Broncos General Manager George Paton told reporters Thursday on a video conference call. “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, 27, has been a pillar of consistency for the Broncos. His 96 tackles and 5 interceptions earned him his first Pro Bowl nod in 2020. Off the field, he is the team’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee for the second consecutive season.