NFL insider links top free agent defensive back to San Francisco 49ers

Deep into the offseason, one of the NFL’s premier free agents remains unsigned.

Over the past eight years with the Denver Broncos, Justin Simmons established himself as one of the best safeties in the league. He patrolled Denver’s defenses with incredible versatility and range, reeling in 30 career interceptions since entering the league as a third round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He recorded six interceptions in 2022, which tied for most in the league that season.

Simmons was expected to be a part of Denver’s plans for the foreseeable future, but he was released in March due to his $18.25 million salary. It was a shocking move, and the four-time second-team All-Pro safety was considered to be one of the top available players in this year’s free agency class. 

Instead, Simmons has languished on the open market in a league that has seemingly deprioritized the safety position. 

San Francisco 49ers could be a perfect fit for Justin Simmons

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer suggested that Simmons would be an ideal fit for one of two particular defensive schemes: the Vic Fangio defensive or the Seattle Cover-3 defense. 

In particular, Breer said he would “really love to see” Simmons play in the San Francisco 49ers defense.

“I love the idea of Justin Simmons in either the Vic Fangio–style of defense he’s played in for the Broncos since 2019, or in a Seattle Seahawks–type of defense. That’s why I’d really love to see him as the center fielder in the Niners’ defense—which has historically played the Seattle three scheme, and also just brought aboard Brandon Staley (whom Simmons knows well) from the Fangio tree.”

Simmons spent three years playing for former Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, whose defensive scheme has become a prominent fixture in defending offenses that deploy high-flying aerial attacks. The 65-year-old deploys a two-high safety shell with light boxes. Fangio doesn't blitz frequently, but his scheme is known for its ability to disguise coverages and pressures. The defense relies on playmakers on the defense — particularly at safety — to make plays in the passing game while providing run support in the box.

The 49ers bolstered their coaching staff this offseason by bringing in a new defensive coordinator and hiring Brandon Staley as the assistant head coach. Staley, who is familiar with Fangio’s defense, could help Simmons transition to San Francisco’s defensive scheme. 

The Niners have a new defensive coordinator for the third time in three years, but their philosophy has not changed. San Francisco deploys a defensive scheme that draws inspiration from the Seattle Seahawks' famed "Legion of Boom" defense, which used one of the most formidable defensive systems in recent NFL history. The scheme fueled the Seahawks' dominance in the early to mid-2010s, highlighted by their Super Bowl XLVIII victory.

The heart of the Seattle scheme is its Cover 3 principles, where the secondary is divided into three deep zones with two perimeter cornerbacks and one middle-field safety. The defense employs a mix of zone coverage schemes with matching principles, which instruct defenders to switch to man coverage based on the routes run by the opposing offense. The hybrid approach allows the defense to adapt to the variety of passing concepts that would generally be used to attack the weaknesses of a Cover 3 shell. 

With only one safety defending center field, however, the scheme requires an athletic safety with sideline-to-sideline range. That’s where former Seahawks safety Earl Thomas III thrived, and it’s where Simmons could fit in for the 49ers.