The Safety position for the Denver Broncos is a fascinating one going into the season. They have had the benefit of having one of the best Safety duos in the NFL over the last four seasons with Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson. This season felt like it was going to be the first time in a long time that the duo wasn’t together.
However, the Broncos bringing Kareem Jackson back on another one-year deal will keep the two together for a fifth season. It does seem like it will be a little different, though. From the sounds of it, the team wants Caden Sterns to take the next step and be the starter, with Kareem playing a more limited role.
Caden taking more snaps and the team drafting JL Skinner, who many believed could have been a much higher pick than he was, provides Denver with a very deep Safety roster. Then on top of the big names, depth guys like P.J. Locke and Delarrin Turner-Yell, who the team really likes, have to make you very excited about this group. So, let’s get into the Denver Broncos Position Group Preview: Safety.
Denver Broncos Position Group Preview: Safety
Projected Starters:
Broncos FS Justin Simmons (31) – Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
Free Safety: Justin Simmons
This is a pretty simple name to punch in as a starter. Despite only being a one-time Pro-Bowler, he is a three-time Second Team All-Pro and has been playing some of his best football the last few seasons. Just last season, he was tied for the most interceptions in the entire NFL, despite missing five games.
One thing that has always been remarkable about Simmons is his durability. Since 2018, he has played every snap on defense when healthy. The only reason he did not play every snap last season was because of the five games he missed, which is the most he has missed in an entire season. It has been a calming feeling for Denver knowing every week they have one of the best Single High Safeties in the league.
However, even while leading the league in interceptions, he also allowed some of the most production in coverage in his career. He gave up the highest completion percentage allowed in his career at 82.9%, second most TDs with 4, and the second highest QB Rating Allowed at 101.9. A large part of that was the change in defensive philosophy. He went from Fangio with heavy Zone Coverage and little blitzing to Eviro, who played more man and brought more pressure with blitzing. If he goes back to a zone primary coverage, he could get back to his usual lockdown, dominate play.
Strong Safety: Caden Sterns
Broncos SS Caden Sterns (30) – Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
The thought of starting Caden Sterns starting next to Simmons at the Safety position is what seemed like plan B, according to most coming into the offseason. After missing out on C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency, drafting a talented player in the 2023 draft, and bringing Kareem back, most people might have forgotten about Sterns.
However, if you forgot about him, go back and watch the tape, and you will get excited about him getting a larger role. He came onto the scene in 2021 as a rookie, making plays all over the field as the third Safety. He had two interceptions and two sacks, and the talent seemed off the charts.
Unfortunately, probably the biggest reason most thought that getting a Safety was high on the priority list was because Sterns missed almost all of last season. He only appeared in five games, while starting three of them, before the injuries though he was having a very solid start to last season. He only allowed five catches on 17 targets while getting two interceptions and did not allow a single TD.
While he has some things to clean up, most specifically against the run, the ability to be exceptional in coverage as a Strong Safety next to one of the best Free Safeties in the league is something to get very excited over for Denver.
Depth Players: Kareem Jackson, JL Skinner, P.J. Locke
Broncos S Kareem Jackson (22) – Jack Dempsey/AP Photo
Kareem Jackson has been one of the most reliable players in the Broncos’ defense over the last four seasons. That did not slow down last season. In year 14, he played the most snaps in a season of his whole career with 1,139 snaps. He did not miss a single snap for Denver last season while collecting 94 total tackles and only allowed a 57.6% completion on targets thrown his way.
Even though he is going to have a lesser role this season for Denver behind Sterns, I think there will be plenty of ways to find him on the field. He had a Pro Football Focus grade of 71.3 against the run, and with an Inside Linebacker group that may struggle at times against the pass, look for him to play heavy in the box as a Nickle Linebacker. Giving Denver another guy they trust in coverage while not being a liability against the run is huge for Denver. He also gives the Broncos a great fail-safe if Sterns ever gets injured or underperforms.
Former Bosie State S JL Skinner (0) – Tyler Ingham/Getty Images
New Rookie JL Skinner is someone to be very excited about. If you want to see more of why in a more in-depth analysis, check out my article on the Draft Grades for the Denver Broncos.
For his role on the team, he may not be someone that gets a big role right away. Being behind three starting-level players makes it hard, but then he is someone that may be difficult to lockdown a full position anywhere. Really, his best role may be a similar one to Kareem’s. He is a very solid player in coverage, and at his massive size, he has shown the ability to be useful against the run as well. While he has the talent to be one of the steals of the Draft, do not be surprised if he does not see a lot of snaps on defense early in his career.
Broncos S P.J. Locke (6) – Michael Owens/Getty Images
One player to keep an eye on for snaps is P.J. Locke. He may not have had a single start last season, but he did appear in 16 of the 17 games and was someone that made impactful plays right away. He forced two fumbles in his limited playing time, one of which one the game against the 49ers in week two, and was a reliable tackler as well. He had 22 tackles while only missing one all season. He will most likely be a heavy special teamer next season, but if he is forced for whatever reason to be on the field on defense, the Broncos should feel confident that he can get the job done.
What to expect from this group:
It is going to be fun watching this group play next season. Over the last four seasons, one thing that has been positive for a team void of positives is the safety play with Simmons and Jackson. They have since added some more talent and are now possibly the most versatile groups in the league. With players like Sterns, Jackson, and Skinner all playing with Simmons, the team has a lot of tools in the toolbox for this season. They may be the best group on the defense as of right now, and it should be one of the best in the entire NFL.
