FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have made significant moves for the second consecutive day, reinforcing their commitment to competing in the 2024 season.
On Thursday, the Falcons signed free agent safety Justin Simmons, a two-time Pro Bowl player, to a one-year contract worth $8 million, as confirmed by his agency, Athletes First. Simmons will team up with fellow Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III, creating one of the premier safety duos in the NFL.
The previous day, Atlanta traded a third-round draft pick to the New England Patriots to acquire pass rusher Matthew Judon, addressing a long-standing need on their roster. With the news that safety DeMarcco Hellams, who was a starter last season, will be sidelined for a “significant amount” of time due to an ankle injury, the addition of Simmons is timely. Following Bates and cornerback A.J. Terrell, the Falcons’ secondary had been facing uncertainty.
Simmons, 30, stands out as the only player in the league to have recorded multiple interceptions in every season since he joined the NFL in 2016, accumulating a total of 30 interceptions over those years, the highest in the league during that span. He spent his first eight seasons with the Denver Broncos before being released in March as part of a salary cap adjustment. Simmons had nine interceptions in the last two seasons and was the top remaining safety available in free agency after visiting the Falcons and New Orleans Saints.
To accommodate their new signings, the Falcons are restructuring the contract of standout offensive guard Chris Lindstrom. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Atlanta will convert part of Lindstrom’s 2024 base salary of $12.5 million into a signing bonus. Judon’s contract for this season is set at $6.5 million.
This offseason, the Falcons have focused on enhancing their offense, highlighted by quarterback Kirk Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million deal. With the recent acquisitions, general manager Terry Fontenot has also made strides to improve the defense, which had raised concerns heading into training camp.
“Come join and get on the wave,” Bates said prior to Simmons’ signing, encouraging potential new Falcons players. “We’ve got a lot of good stuff going here in Atlanta.”