The Denver Broncos saved $14.5 million in salary cap space when they released veteran safety Justin Simmons on Thursday. Some of that cap space will be used to find Simmons’ replacement, and Denver has an in-house candidate.
The Broncos are “looking to re-sign P.J. Locke,” according to a report from the Denver Gazette‘s Chris Tomasson. Locke is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 13. Denver could prevent him from hitting free agency by giving him an extension this week.
Locke, 27, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Texas in 2019. He was a key special teams player and rotational defensive back from 2020-2022 before being asked to step up as a fill-in starter in 2023.
Following an injury to Caden Sterns and multiple suspensions for Kareem Jackson, Locke started eight games last season. He ended the season with 53 tackles, five pass breakups, three sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception in 12 games.
Following the release of Simmons, Locke will likely be a priority in-house free agent for the Broncos. As things stand now, Locke and Sterns are likely the favorites to start at the team’s two safety spots in 2024.
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