NFC South Rival Named Best Fit for Ex-Falcons Safety

An Atlanta Falcons division rival was named the best "team fit" for former Falcons veteran safety Justin Simmons.

Things didn't quite work out with veteran safety Justin Simmons and the Atlanta Falcons last season. But ESPN's Matt Bowen argued Monday things could go a lot better for Simmons with a different NFC South team in 2025.

Bowen named the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the best fit for Simmons in an NFL free agency article.

"Cincinnati and Carolina would also work here, but Simmons fits really well as an interchangeable safety opposite Antoine Winfield Jr. in Todd Bowles' defense," Bowen wrote. "The Bucs played the most zone coverage in the league last season (71.7% of the time), and Simmons can spin to the post or walk down in Cover 3.

"He's an excellent communicator with field awareness. Simmons has picked off 32 passes over his nine-year career, including two last season."

Simmons received four second-team All-Pro nominations from 2019-23. During the season he didn't earn that, 2020, he made the Pro Bowl. Simmons also earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2023.

But last season, Simmons appeared to be fine but not elite based on the eye test with the Falcons. He posted 62 combined tackles, including two tackles for loss. Simmons also had seven pass defenses and two interceptions.

According to the Pro Football Focus player grades, Simmons was far from elite. Among the 37 safeties who played at least 80% of their defense's snaps last season, Simmons finished 29th with a 59.9 PFF grade.

Simmons posted a below average grade in PFF's four major categories, and particularly struggled in the tackling department with a 44.5 grade (out of 100).

Maybe in a better fit, Simmons could do better this fall. But Simmons will turn 32 in November and pretty clearly has already played his best football.

That's likely why he was available so late into last offseason. The Falcons signed him in August. Simmons also remains unsigned this May.

In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Falcons grabbed defensive backs Xavier Watts from Notre Dame and Billy Bowman Jr. of Oklahoma in the middle rounds. Watts could help replace Simmons at safety in 2025 while Bowman is probably set to switch to nickel cornerback.