The New Orleans Saints might have another big free agent splash to make after all.
One of the top remaining free agents and a former All Pro in Justin Simmons is set to visit the Saints on Wednesday, with the team holding their training camp in southern California.
The news was first reported by NewOrleans.football.
Simmons, a third-round pick out of Boston College in 2016, has been named 2nd team All-Pro four separate times, including each of the past three seasons. His six interceptions led the NFL in 2022 and he has 30 throughout his career.
Simmons, 30, has played his entire 8-year career for the Denver Broncos, but was a cap casualty coming out of the 2023 season. His numbers from last season -- 70 tackles, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions, 8 passes defensed -- would illustrate a picture of someone still playing at a high level, but he's reached free agency to find a league hesitant to dole out big money to aging safeties.
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While the Saints certainly don't have the most cap space to throw around, they can make something work with more than $10 million of workable space available. They could also still restructure RB Alvin Kamara's contract if need be to create additional space.
The safety position next to Tyrann Mathieu wouldn't qualify as a critical need, but Simmons would be an upgrade and help New Orleans create an impressive veteran tandem. That spot is currently being manned by a combination of second-year pro Jordan Howden and veterans Johnathan Abram and Willi Harris.
The coaching connections to make such a pairing viable are also very clear. Current Saints defensive coordinator Joe Woods was the Broncos defensive backs coach when Simmons was drafted in 2016, and he was the defensive coordinator in Denver in 2017 and 2018. Current Saints defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson was the Broncos defensive backs coach both of those seasons.
The Saints are back to practice on Wednesday after an off day and will have another pair of padded practices before traveling to Arizona on Friday for their season opener against the Cardinals.