On Oct. 25, after Kareem Jackson was suspended for two games by the NFL, Justin Simmons opened a press conference by speaking for five minutes in defense of his fellow Broncos safety. On Wednesday, with Jackson having been suspended for the next four games, Simmons offered another passionate speech.
Jackson, after a helmet-to-helmet hit last Sunday on Minnesota quarterback Josh Dobbs, was suspended Monday for repeated violations of player safety rules, and his appeal Tuesday was denied. Simmons’ primary complaints were that there is lack of consistency within the rules, that players are not provided adequate feedback from the NFL on tackling form and that suspended players must stay away from the team facility during the entire time of their penalty.
Simmons on Tuesday commented on social media on a second-quarter play in Denver’s 24-22 win at Buffalo on Nov. 13 in which Bills linebacker Dorian Williams was penalized for unnecessary roughness for a helmet-to-helmet hit on wide receiver Courtland Sutton but was not fined or suspended. A penalty was not called on Jackson’s hit on Dobbs.
“I wasn’t trying to single out the Bills player,’’ Simmons told reporters Wednesday after a practice at the Centura Health Training Center. “I don’t even know his name, but I was just trying to prove that like there’s no consistency in what’s being asked of us as defensive players and it’s costing guys in some aspects, in talking about Kareem, a little bit of his reputation.
“The fact that he’s going to miss the next four games in a crucial part of our season is unbelievable and for a play that, if that’s routinely going to be called, then why was it not called on that one play? Sure, they threw the flag but we’re going to throw the flag against the Bills and not fine them and we’re going to not throw the flag against Kareem and fine them and also give another four-game suspension?”
When the NFL announced the latest discipline against Jackson, it noted he has had “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players, including” the hit on Dobbs. It’s the second suspension of the season for Jackson related to illegal hits.
The first was for four games on Oct. 23 but was reduced to two games on Oct. 24 upon appeal. He has been ejected for two games this season and before his first suspension had been fined for four incidents for an amount totaling $89,670.
Jackson, a 14-year veteran, returned to the lineup for the 21-20 win over the Vikings after serving his two-game suspension. He said last week he was unable to get “clarity” from the NFL on tackling methods following his initial suspension.
“If you’re actually trying to help us get better, what are the coaching points?’’ Simmons said. “How are we going to get better? What are the ways to help us to apply that? Because if we’re just going to slap fines on guys and slap suspensions and then when they come back four games later and nothing’s changed, that’s not our fault.”
Simmons said he also doesn’t understand why the NFL doesn’t allow suspended players to come to the practice facility.
“(It’s), ‘Hey, stay away,’’’ Simmons said. “Like not only are you suspended, but you can’t help the young guys. You can’t help prep a younger guy coming up that might have to get extra snaps because now you’re down.”
During Jackson’s two-game ban, P.J. Locke started games Oct. 29 against Kansas City and the one at Buffalo. However, Locke left that game in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle and sat out against Minnesota.
Locke did not practice Wednesday. However, there remains a chance he could return Sunday against Cleveland at Empower Field at Mile High.
“We’ll rep a few different players there (at safety),’’ said Broncos coach Sean Payton, whose team has won four straight games to get to 5-5. “We’ll see where we’re at health-wise. There’s not a whole lot to say (about Jackson’s latest suspension). We kind of went through the process. … It kind of is what it is right now. … The auditions (to replace Jackson) are in the building.”
If Locke can’t play against the Browns, the Broncos could turn to Delarrin Turner-Yell. He started two games early in the season when Locke was on injured reserve with a toe injury and Simmons was out due to a hip injury. And he replaced Locke for the remainder of the Buffalo game.
However, the Broncos did make rookie JL Skinner active for the first time this season against the Vikings. He played only on special teams but it remains to be seen if could get some snaps from scrimmage when Jackson is out.
“We felt like the last three weeks, you really started noticing him on scout team with his movement,’’ Payton said. “He has a good handle on what we’re doing. He’ll have to be ready.”
Simmons also made note of Skinner.
“The thing that’s impressed me the most with him, I sit next to him in our meeting room, is his attention to detail when writing notes, asking questions, from Week 1 all the way up until today,” Simmons said. “(It’s) just been really awesome to watch. He’s a student of the game.”
