ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos are releasing safety Justin Simmons in the fallout from the Russell Wilson separation, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team didn't immediately announce the move.
Simmons immediately becomes one of the best veterans available when free agency begins next week.
A second-team All-Pro in four of his last five seasons, Simmons intercepted multiple passes in each of his eight years in Denver and his 30 picks lead all NFL players since his rookie season in 2016, when the Broncos selected him in the third round out of Boston College.
Simmons was set to earn $14.5 million this upcoming season, the final year of the four-year, $61 million deal he signed in 2021.
All high-earning veterans on the Broncos roster are vulnerable to release because the team is facing a record $85 million in dead cap charges when they release Wilson next week.
The team hasn't decided whether to absorb $35.4 million or $53 million of Wilson’s dead-cap hit in 2024, but either way they've got a long way to go to get under the salary cap, and Simmons' release is just the beginning of a painful roster purge this offseason.
Others who could follow Simmons out of Denver include left tackle Garett Bolles, one of the team's three first-round picks still on the roster (WR Jerry Jeudy and CB Patrick Surtain are the others).
Simmons teamed with Surtain the last three years to form one of the NFL's most spectacular secondaries even as the Broncos extended their playoff drought to eight seasons and their string of losing campaigns to seven.
Simmons was also the Broncos' most active player in charitable appearances and was a fan favorite on a team that's had little to cheer for since winning Super Bowl 50 after the 2015 season.
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