Houston is currently mid-tier in terms of NFL salary cap space, but signing one more high-impact free agent could propel the Texans into the elite tier alongside teams like Kansas City and San Francisco.
Adding free-agent safety Justin Simmons would be an ideal move to complete the Texans’ roster before the 2024 training camp. Houston is not particularly strong at the safety position, so acquiring a player of Simmons’ caliber is more of a necessity than a luxury. This assumes the Texans are committed to making a significant postseason push in 2024.
Simmons, a 6-2, 202-pound safety drafted in 2016, has been a model of consistency, earning All-Pro honors in four of the last five seasons and receiving two Pro Bowl nods. Beyond his on-field performance, Simmons is known for his character, having been nominated three times for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award due to his community involvement and mentorship.
For a young team like the Texans, having a reliable veteran like Simmons in the locker room would be invaluable for players such as C.J. Stroud and Tank Dell. On the field, Simmons is durable, having started all 105 games he appeared in over the past seven years with Denver. He played more than 3,200 consecutive snaps from 2018 to early 2021 and has recorded at least three interceptions in each of the last six seasons, making him a unique asset in the NFL.
Texans head coach Demeco Ryans emphasized the importance of improving the safety position for a successful season. “We had a lot of guys going in and out at safety — our last game versus the Ravens ended up with some backup players in there,” Ryans told SI.com. “We’ve just got to find a way to stay healthy at the safety spot and find a way to stay consistent, so no matter who’s back there it’s just being consistent. Our safeties are a very important piece and I really like to use our safeties a lot. Pass game. Blitzing. Those guys are integral pieces of that chess match and game plan that I like to do.”
Improving the safety position could address a significant weakness for the Texans, who struggled to stop the passing game in 2023, allowing an average of 234.1 passing yards per game, the 10th most in the NFL. Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward are the expected starters heading into training camp, but their performances have been inconsistent. Pitre’s play declined from his rookie season, and Ward missed 10 games due to a quadriceps injury.
Simmons, coming off his fourth-career All-Pro season with 70 tackles and three interceptions in 15 games, would be a significant upgrade. The only potential drawback is the financial cost of bringing him aboard.
