The New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens may battle over Pro Bowler safety Justin Simmons after his Falcons visit this offseason. According to a report, the veteran is dwindling to some options in the NFC South after having a visit with the Saints this past week. The time is ticking for other teams that may want to bring Simmons for a visit so a deal could come sooner this week if things go well for the Falcons. Last season, Atlanta was able to make a huge investment in Jessie Bates who was delivering fast expectations for the team after racking up six interceptions, 11 pass deflections and three forced fumbles.
He may be able to thrive even further with Simmons on the same roster since they didn’t see much success in the takeaway department. However, this could all change this upcoming season if the Falcons end up winning the bidding war for the Pro Bowler since he’s hungry for a postseason appearance. Atlanta has a strong chance to go to the playoffs this upcoming season since they were able to address the quarterback position after signing Kirk Cousins and drafting Michael Penix Jr. in this year’s draft. It’ll be interesting where Simmons lands since he’s been waiting patiently like other free agents for the next opportunity since he’s the best available.
The Saints could pull him in knowing that they have a well-known veteran like Tyrann Mathieu. They’re not looking to add safety depth but when Simmons is still on the market then they’ll be willing to entertain the idea. However, Dennis Allen did say there is a lot of competition going on the opposite of Mathieu so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the Saints are just trying to solidify that roster spot.
Saints, Ravens May Battle Over Pro Bowler Justin Simmons After Falcons Visit
Watch Out for Baltimore
The Ravens could entertain the idea of bringing Simmons for a visit even though they were able to sign Eddie Jackson for veteran insurance. He provides the secondary with short-term relief and Simmons is more a player that’s capable of improving a team’s defense for a long time. Simmons is probably looking to join a contender and if the Ravens peel their eyes for him then he wouldn’t hesitate. The battle for the No. 3 spot since Geno Stone’s departure will be one to watch but Simmons is starter material so that means he would be able to help compete with dynamic duo Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams.
Other Potential Destinations
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have been quiet in adding talent to their secondary since L’Jarius Sneed‘s departure to the Titans. However, Simmons would be open to the idea of joining an already high-powered defense since he’ll likely get a ring before he retires. The Chiefs are solid and ready at offense for many years to come but they have a few young talents at defense that have a lot to prove. Simmons is no cornerback but addition could improve the secondary since he has similar ball-hawking qualities.
Justin Reid, Bryan Cook, Chamarri Corner and Jaden Hicks give the secondary a strong room but Simmons’s addition could put them through the ceiling. Simmons is still 30 years old and is showing no signs of slowing down so he has a lot to bring to already explosive defense.
Carolina Panthers
Even though the Panthers have two solid starters in Xavier Woods and Jordan Fuller, they need someone who pushes the defense to the limit. Carolina was able to bring in Jadeveon Clowney to help with the pass rush but now they need a notable name to improve the pass defense. To keep the team on the same page as the offense, the defense needs to be solid too.
Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh would love to see some tough defense. They already have their answer that’s already on the roster with Derwin James so the only missing piece is Simmons. Both are capable of being the new duo that the Chargers could look forward to. The Chargers offense looks atrocious even though they made several changes so the last resort would be improving the defense.
