Justin Simmons wrapped up his brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons, and suddenly, the whole NFL world has opinions. Opinions about where he will land next. The NFL reporters and analysts alike are buzzing about the next team for the veteran safety, and get this, the Philadelphia Eagles have constantly been in the mix, citing his familiarity with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. But let’s not sugarcoat it.

NFL Writer and Analyst at ESPN, Matt Bowen, reported that teams like the Bengals and the Panthers would be there for Simmons, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could also be a perfect match, stating that the guy could fit as an interchangeable safety opposite the veteran Antoine Winfield Jr. Not to mention, the Bucs have already included Shilo Sanders on their secondary.

To spice things up, even Simmons seems undecided, saying, “I want to go to the best situation, and I want to go to a team that’s going to win,” on Up & Adams Show. And just when you thought that it can’t get any more complicated, the reigning Super Bowl champions are back at it. The rumor mill is now buzzing that Justin Simmons has been linked to the Eagles. Once again.

But if you’re thinking that Nick Sirianni and the Eagles are the only ones interested in the veteran Safety, chances are that you’re highly mistaken. In fact, John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens are in the mix as well. Let’s dive deeper into the matter, bit by bit. See, ever since the guy stated his desire to join the Eagles’ defense during his appearance on Up & Adams Show, Simmons has been linked to Philly.

“Going to Philly with Vic, you know exactly what you’re getting out of me, and I know exactly what you’re getting out of them because I’ve been in the system,” he stated. And NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger also revealed that Simmons is targeting the Eagles as his next decision. “He wants to come to Philadelphia,” he had said. “He wants to be there.”

The guy was a part of the Broncos‘ secondary during Vic Fangio’s reign in Denver. So yeah, his desire to re-unite with his coach kind of makes sense. However, the Ravens are now the latest entry in this never-ending debate. A couple of weeks back, the Ravens’ safety Ar’Darius Washington reportedly tore his achilles tendon and his uncertain to return ahead of the 2025 season.

Having said that, John Harbaugh and Co. are looking to bolster their secondary to fill the gap left by Washington. No surprise they’ve been tied to Simmons—makes total sense. So, long story short: ever since the 31-year-old safety has become a free agent, all eyes are on his next destination. Where will he land? Will he land in Philly to reunite with his former coach and to join Sirianni’s roster? Or will he join Harbaugh’s team? Or is there something else brewing? We’ll see.

But amidst this, the Bucs are a top contender for Justin Simmons

After spending the first eight seasons with the Broncos, Justin Simmons was looking to sign his next deal for five months last year. The two-time Pro Bowler eventually signed a one-year deal with the Falcons, where the coordinator Jimmy Lake chose him as the starting safety in the regular season. The 31-year-old guy started 16 games and recorded 62 tackles by the end of his one-year deal.

Fast forward to now, and Simmons is still out there, looking for his next big deal. The Eagles and the Ravens are actively pursuing Justin Simmons ahead of the 2025 season, no doubt. But ESPN’s Matt Bowen wasn’t sugarcoating it. Bowen predicted the Buccaneers as the best landing spot for Simmons. “Cincinnati and Carolina would also work here, but Simmons fits really well as an interchangeable safety opposite Antoine Winfield Jr. in Todd Bowles’ defense,” he noted.

“The Bucs played the most zone coverage in the league last season (71.7% of the time), and Simmons can spin to the post or walk down in Cover. He’s an excellent communicator with field awareness. Simmons has picked off 32 passes over his nine-year career, including two last season.” Bowen’s report is indeed worth something to pay attention.

But let’s not forget that during his last season in Denver, the guy had 70 combined tackles and 1 sack. And yes, along the way, he earned his second Pro Bowl nod. The catch? Well, even after that, not just the Broncos waived him off, but he struggled to find his next team till August 2024—of course, because of the whole Russell Wilson situation.

That means the guy’s looking to get his hands on a new deal, there’s no denying that. But considering his last year, the next deal is probably not going to be without a few surprises. Eagles? Ravens? Or the Bucs? A total mystery.