If we’ve come to understand anything about Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman over the years, it’s that this is an individual with a plan. Roseman has become one of the NFL’s best general managers of all time by thinking 2 and 3 steps ahead.
Eagles fans hope one of Roseman’s schemes involves reloading at the safety position in 2025 after trading away C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans to begin the offseason.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox thinks part of Roseman’s plan might be bringing in 4-time NFL All-Pro safety Justin Simmons on a 1-year contract.
“Simmons proved last year that he can still play at a high level,” Knox wrote on March 23. “He started 16 games for the Falcons and was one of their few defensive bright spots. He allowed an opposing passer rating of only 81.9 in coverage and logged 62 tackles, seven passes defended and two interceptions. Simmons can likely expect another short-term contract, but he can add a playmaking presence to the back end of a defense. The Philadelphia Eagles, who traded away safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, are the most obvious fit for Simmons.”
Simmons went on the “Talkin’ Ball With Pat Leonard” podcast on March 11 and said the Eagles were “high on his list” of teams he’d prefer to play for in 2025.
Simmons One of NFL’s Best Safeties on Awful Teams
Simmons played the first 8 seasons of his career with the Denver Broncos but was released as a salary cap move before the 2024 season and played last year for the Atlanta Falcons on a 1-year, $7.5 million contract.
Simmons made all 4 of his NFL All-Pro Teams with the Broncos as well as 2 Pro Bowls, becoming one of the NFL’s best safeties over the first decade of his career and one of the NFL’s worst teams — in his first 8 seasons the Broncos finished above .500 just once and never made the playoffs.
Denver finally made it back to the postseason following the 2024 season for the first time since 2015, which was also the last season before Simmons joined the team after he was drafted in the third round (No. 98 overall) in the 2016 NFL draft out of Boston College.
While Simmons didn’t win a lot of games with the Broncos, he did become incredibly rich — through the end of the 2024 season he has $70.3 million in career earnings.
Simmons Still Among NFL’s Best Available Free Agents
ESPN’s Matt Bowen still has Simmons ranked among the best available NFL free agents in the 2025 cycle.
“Simmons, an excellent communicator in the secondary, had two interceptions last season, and he has 32 in his career,” Bowen wrote. “I see his best fit as a veteran addition for a split-safety defense.”
The Eagles don’t have a tremendous amount of money left to spend on free agents, so Simmons is also appealing in that regard. Spotrac projects his market value in the range of a 1-year, $5.8 million contract — a number Philadelphia would be fortunate to land him for.
Whoever steps into the safety spot has big shoes to fill. Gardner-Johnson started 16 games for the Eagles in 2024 with 59 tackles, 12 pass deflections and 6 interceptions with 116 return yards, including 1 returned for a touchdown.
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