The Cincinnati Bengals made their offensive leader Joe Burrow very happy this offseason. The Bengals extended the contracts of wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. They also kept tight end Mike Gesicki in the fold with a new contract.
One thing the Bengals have not done is made any progress with their defense. The Bengals need help in the secondary and could use a safety to partner with Geno Stone, who regressed last season,
Enter former Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons. Simmons signed a one-year, cap-friendly contract with the Falcons last season and played well. He was not offered a new contract in Atlanta and is still a free agent.
He would be good to have in the backfield with Stone to roam the secondary.
"After signing a one-year deal with Atlanta in 2024, Simmons played alongside former Bengal Jessie Bates III and had a solid season," Cincy Jungle's Jason Garrison said. "If any of that Bates magic rubbed off on him, he could bring a stabilizing presence to the Bengals' secondary."
Simmons - a four-time All-Pro - played in 16 contests and finished with 62 tackles, seven passes defensed, two interceptions and two tackles for loss.
Simmons can play deep in the secondary, line up in the box or cover the slot receiver. He is extremely versatile and is exactly what Zac Taylor needs to add to his defensive backfield.
Simmons is expected to be cheap, as Spotrac projects him to receive a one-year, $5.8 million contract. The Bengals still have $23.9 million in cap space, and can definitely afford him.
If Cincinnati wants to compete for a Super Bowl in 2025, they have to get better in the back end. Signing Simmons would help them do that.
