The Philadelphia Eagles put on a show during last year’s Super Bowl run, and they gained themselves some fans around the league in the process.
The Eagles haven’t exactly been throwing money around to outside free agents this offseason, but with their established program and veteran coaching staff, Philly has become a destination for veteran players looking to parlay a one-year deal now, into a multi-year payday later.
One free agent who fits that bill is Justin Simmons, who enjoyed the best stretch of his nine-year NFL career playing for Vic Fangio and Christian Parker in Denver. With Fangio now the defensive coordinator for the reigning Super Bowl champs, and Parker doubling as Philly’s passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach, Simmons recently made it known on Pat Leonard’s Talkin’ Ball podcast that Philadelphia would be a preferred landing spot if the two sides can work out a deal.
“It’s high on the list,” Simmons said on the pod.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell agrees, naming Philly a likely free agent destination for Simmons due to his history in Fangio’s system and the departure of C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who was traded to the Houston Texans last week. Here was Barnwell’s take on Simmons landing with the Eagles:
Simmons became a star under Vic Fangio in Denver, where his range and instincts made him an essential player for the Broncos. He forced 33 turnovers from 2017 to 2023, the most of any player over that seven-year span. Missed tackles have occasionally been a problem, and he benefited from playing next to a star last season in Jessie Bates, but there’s always something to be said for having Simmons’ sort of experience in a critical role.
I was surprised when the Eagles didn’t add Simmons last year, and he has admitted in recent weeks that he’d love to play for the Eagles. With Philly trading away C.J. Gardner-Johnson, there’s an opening next to Reed Blankenship in the back end of the secondary. Could Simmons get his wish?
The Eagles could definitely use another veteran option at safety. They’ve got a solid in-house option to start opposite Reed Blankenship in former third-round pick Sydney Brown, but he’s played a total of 144 defensive snaps over his two-year NFL career due to injuries. Tristin McCollum is another intriguing option after starring in training camp last season, but similar to Brown, he’s short on experience.
There are other potential options out there for Philly if they’re looking to add a safety prior to the NFL Draft. Former Indianapolis Colts starter Julian Blackmon could be a cheap option, and he’s quite a bit younger than Simmons, who will turn 32 during the 2025 season.
The Eagles have been in cost-cutting mode to start the new league year, so the numbers will matter a great deal. PFF projects Simmons to make around $6 million on a one-year contract, so he would likely need to give Fangio and Co. a serious discount to end up getting his wish and landing in Philadelphia.
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