The New Orleans Saints will not be adding Justin Simmons, but they will be facing him twice in the 2024 season.
That's because the 30-year-old safety the Saints had hosted on a visit earlier in training camp will be signing with the rival Atlanta Falcons on a 1-year, $8 million deal, according to reports.
Simmons visited the Saints during camp out in Irvine and was wined and dined, but left without a deal. Saints head coach Dennis Allen said conversations about the former Broncos standout, who was a cap casualty after eight seasons in Denver, had been ongoing since shortly after the draft.
The addition builds on an exciting week in Atlanta, with the team also sending a third-round pick to the Patriots to bring in pass-rusher Matthew Judon. Simmons will form an impressive tandem with veteran Jessie Bates, whom the team landed on a big contract last offseason. Simmons also fills a void left by DeMarcco Hellams, who went down with a significant ankle injury earlier in camp. The Saints visit the Falcons in Week 4, and host Atlanta in Week 10 at the Caesars Superdome.
For the Saints, it's the end of what was an intriguing idea to pair Simmons with Tyrann Mathieu on the back end. This Saints group also has an impressive array of defensive backs on the outside with Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo and rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry, as well as Alontae Taylor in the slot. Adebo and Lattimore have missed time due to injuries in camp but are expected to be ready for the regular season.
The starter at the other safety spot still appears to be up in the air midway through camp, with second-year pro Jordan Howden, and Johnathan Abram and Will Harris all seeing first team snaps at times during practices.
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The Saints are currently operating with a little over $10 million in cap space heading into the 2024 season, which ranks 25th in the NFL. The Falcons actually went into the day with less space, but with more available restructures to free up space. The only significant contract the Saints could manipulate to free up space would've been Alvin Kamara's, with the team and the veteran RB having still not agreed to any type of reworked deal. Kamara has missed the past several days of practice with "back stiffness," something Dennis Allen said on Thursday was not related to the contract impasse.
The Saints don't have to use that cap space and could roll it over to next season when they are already scheduled to have a significant deficit to overcome. They've also already extended linebacker Pete Werner this offseason. The team is also notably thin on the offensive line, and that money could be used to make something happen at that position if a player of interest becomes available either in free agency or trade.
The Saints continue their preseason slate on Sunday against the 49ers before returning home ahead of their preseason finale against the Titans.