During a four-day span in March, neither of the Broncos’ starting safeties a year ago was under contract.
Sure, Justin Simmons had the franchise tag applied to him for the second consecutive year, but contract talks had seemingly hit a wall. And even though new general manager George Paton left the door open for Kareem Jackson’s return after his option was declined, it appeared he might go elsewhere.
But as fast as college safeties could be researched to take in the draft, Simmons signed a four-year, $61 million contract that made him the NFL’s highest-paid safety (for a few months) and five days later, Jackson returned via one-year, $5 million deal.