Dolphins Set to Land All-Pro Defense Star in Offseason. The Miami Dolphins brought in veteran Jordan Poyer this past offseason to fill the void left by departed safety DeShon Elliott. Bleacher Report’s NFL scouting team suggested that the Dolphins should consider a similar move in 2025, but this time target a safety with a more impressive track record Justin Simmons.
On November 18, Bleacher Report recommended Simmons as a key addition for the Dolphins in next year’s free agency.
“Re-signing Jevon Holland should be a top priority for the Dolphins. He’s become a reliable safety with strong tackling numbers and plenty of prime years ahead,” noted Bleacher Report’s team. “However, with 33-year-old Jordan Poyer currently occupying the other safety position, the Dolphins will likely be looking for at least one new starter, regardless of whether they bring back Holland.”
The report added, “While they don’t need to spend big on a top free agent, Justin Simmons, who has been a steady performer for the Falcons in his 30th year, could offer more value than Poyer at this stage.”
Simmons, who has been named an All-Pro four times in his nine-season career, was also selected to two Pro Bowls in 2020 and 2023. Despite his impressive resume, Simmons remained a free agent until mid-August of the 2024 offseason, and thus is unlikely to have a competitive free agent market. He signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons for the 2024 season.
This year, Simmons has recorded 40 combined tackles, including 2 tackles for loss, along with 4 pass deflections across 10 games.
Why Justin Simmons Could Fit With Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins selected Jevon Holland in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, indicating they’ve been proactive in building their safety position with young talent. However, in recent years, they’ve leaned on veteran safeties alongside Holland. They signed DeShon Elliott to a one-year contract before the 2023 season and brought in Jordan Poyer on a similar deal this past offseason.
With Holland needing a contract extension in the upcoming offseason, it’s likely the Dolphins will once again target an affordable veteran to pair with him at safety.
At 31 years old (turning 31 on November 19), Justin Simmons remains a highly desirable safety, especially as a complement to a dynamic young player like Holland. In his nine seasons, Simmons has built a standout career with 118 starts, earning multiple postseason honors, and even led the league in interceptions with 6 in 2022. From 2019 to 2022, he recorded at least 4 interceptions each season.
Additionally, Simmons has surpassed 69 combined tackles every year since 2018, and he’s on track to maintain that consistency in 2024.
For the Dolphins, finding a reliable veteran safety presence like Simmons could be a significant upgrade alongside Holland, providing both stability and playmaking ability in the secondary.
Why the Dolphins Might Not Be the Front-Runner for Simmons
On paper, a partnership between the Dolphins and Justin Simmons makes a lot of sense. However, the case for this happening is complicated by the fact that it *could* have already taken place this season.
Simmons was a free agent until mid-preseason, but instead of signing him, the Dolphins chose to bring in Jordan Poyer at the start of free agency.
Money could have been a key factor. The Dolphins are paying Poyer $5.5 million less than what the Falcons are paying Simmons, which suggests that cost was a consideration in their decision.
While Simmons, a four-time second-team All-Pro, certainly offers the kind of experience the Dolphins need at safety, signing him to a one-year deal could be a more expensive proposition than they’d prefer. With Jevon Holland needing a contract extension this offseason and potentially requiring the franchise tag if the two sides can’t reach an agreement it’s hard to imagine the Dolphins committing another $7 million or so to bring Simmons aboard.
Given these financial constraints, it seems unlikely that Miami would allocate such a large sum to a new veteran safety when they may already have to prioritize re-signing their own young star, Holland.
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