When the Broncos fired Justin Simmons in March, he immediately became one of the top safeties on the market.
But with just weeks left until league training camps begin, Simmons still has not signed a contract.
Simmons told the media at a charity golf event on Thursday that he is taking the “long view” when it comes to finding a team.
“I think we’ll eventually get to where we’re wanted and where we are appreciated“, Simmons said, via Bradley King of Denver 7. “I’ve always said from the beginning that I want to play for a contender, and I feel like I can be the missing piece for a lot of teams to help them get over the hump.”
Simmons, 30, is fortunate not to have signed at this point in the year.
“Of course it would be great to know now where I’m going, what I can study, who I can play for and what matches I’ll have, and all that good stuff,” Simmons said. “But ultimately, I think it challenges me in a positive way. I think complacency can be a thing when you just get caught up in a routine of doing the same thing over and over again, and finding the baby steps of growth. But for me, it’s all new. I have to ask questions, take responsibility, learn from people who have been in this before — whether they’ve been in it for three years or 10 years, just get some insight, gain some wisdom.
“I think it’s going to help me grow a lot. I think it’s helped me slow down. … It’s helped me be more present with my family when I didn’t have the chance because of OTAs and getting ready for camp.”
Simmons didn’t sound like a deal was coming anytime soon. He said he could sign tomorrow, two weeks into training camp, or right before the first game of the season.
“You never know how these things are going to go,” he said. “So it’s caused me to slow down and give up control — because I have no control over it.”
The security official also noted that he believes he still has plenty of room to grow.
“I think when you get to a certain age, a lot of people write you off. And that just motivates me,” Simmons said. “I think you just get a new hunger and a new thirst when you go to a new place, because you just have to prove yourself again.”
Simmons, a third-round pick in the 2016 draft, has appeared in 118 games with 108 starts, recording 64 passes defensed and 30 interceptions. He has been named second-team All-Pro four times in his career.