Falcons sign Simmons to 1-year, $8M deal

The Atlanta Falcons are signing free-agent safety Justin Simmons to a one-year, $8-million deal, his agency, Athletes First, told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Simmons' deal includes $7.5 million fully guaranteed, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Simmons, 30, provides a boost to a Falcons secondary that features fellow star safety Jessie Bates. The two-time Pro Bowl defensive back provides some added depth with DeMarcco Hellams expected to miss significant time due to an ankle injury. Hellams was competing with Richie Grant to start alongside Bates this season.

The Falcons hosted Simmons on a visit earlier this week, and the veteran safety had dinner with A.J. Terrell and Grady Jarrett, sources recently told KPRC 2's Aaron Wilson.

Simmons was surprisingly released in March by the Denver Broncos. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound defender is coming off a productive 2023 campaign in which he recorded 70 tackles, eight passes defensed, and three interceptions in 15 games. The Boston College product has tallied 30 interceptions since entering the league in 2016.

The Falcons continue to fortify their defense ahead of the regular season with Simmons' signing. Atlanta acquired veteran pass-rusher Matthew Judon in a trade with the New England Patriots on Wednesday.

Atlanta restructured the contract of offensive guard Chris Lindstrom by converting part of his $12.5-million base salary into a signing bonus to provide the team with more cap space, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.