Last year, the Denver Broncos entered the season with Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson as starting safeties. Caden Sterns was listed as a co-starter alongside Jackson, but suffered a torn patellar tendon in Week 1. Because of this injury, PJ Locke, Delarrin Turner-Yell and JL Skinner are the team's backup safeties in 2023.
Simmons played at his typical Pro Bowl level in 2023, but Jackson served two suspensions and was ultimately released. Last season, Locke started eight games as the backup starter.
After parting ways with Jackson at the end of the 2023 season and Simmons will be released this springDenver signed Brandon Jones during free agency. Jones started opposite Locke this year and they were a dynamic safety duo for the Broncos.
Jones has recorded 79 tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 11 games.
“We are better overall on the back end at this position than we were a year ago,” coach Sean Payton said of the safety position. “We played a few different players there, but I like the way we play. We communicate. Our defense people, Vance [Joseph] and Jim Leonhard and all these guys are doing a fantastic job. We definitely, I would say, progressed further and it was a good performance from those guys [Sunday].”
Denver's backup safeties behind Jones and Locke are Devon Key and Skinner. Payton clearly thinks the Jones-Locke-Key-Skinner combination is better than the Simmons-Jackson-Locke-Turner-Yell rotation from last year. (Jackson, as one might expect, did not agree with this assessment.)
Jones and Locke will look to continue their impressive campaign with the Broncos Hosted by the Cleveland Browns To Monday Night Football in week 13.