Denver Broncos fans were taken aback on Thursday morning when the team unexpectedly released veteran star safety Justin Simmons. The news, broken by NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN, cited the move as a means to free up salary cap space.
“Broncos are releasing former All-Pro safety Justin Simmons after eight seasons in Denver, per league sources. Moving on from Simmons, who went to the Pro Bowl last season, will save the Broncos $14.5 million against their salary cap,” Schefter announced on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
Despite the financial rationale behind the decision, it came as a surprise to Broncos fans, considering Simmons’ status as one of the premier safeties in the league and a respected leader in the team’s defensive locker room. According to Broncos insider Benjamin Allbright, this move may be just the beginning, as he hinted at more changes to come in the near future.
“For Broncos fans, there are more gut punches coming. We’ve talked about this on BCT extensively. It’s Sean Payton’s team now,” Allbright remarked in a post.
While it’s unclear who exactly Allbright is alluding to with his statement, it’s evident that head coach Sean Payton is determined to reshape the team according to his vision. Simmons seems to be the first casualty in this restructuring process, leaving fans curious about what other changes lie ahead.
