One of a few first-round linebacker picks Steve Keim made during his run as Cardinals GM, Isaiah Simmons will now head into a contract year. The Cardinals are not exercising Simmons’ fifth-year option, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
Simmons is likely to remain a starter in Jonathan Gannon‘s system, despite the Cards bringing over ex-Gannon Eagles charge Kyzir White in free agency. But Arizona’s new regime will not give Simmons an eight-figure guarantee for 2024 just yet.
Meeting the participation requirements to land on the option structure’s third tier, Simmons came with a $12.72MM 2024 guarantee. The Cardinals are giving the keys to Gannon and new DC Nick Rallis, and the Vance Joseph-era cog will be given an opportunity to prove himself in the new scheme. With the Cardinals regrouping after a wildly disappointing season and an offseason that brought sweeping changes both on the roster and in the front office, it is unsurprising to see the team punt on this option call.
A coveted prospect out of Clemson, Simmons went eighth overall to the Cardinals in 2020. The college national champion carried a hybrid skillset coming into the league but initially struggled to find a fit with the Cards. The team ended up taking advantage of Simmons’ versatility. Displaying his athletic gifts, the nominal linebacker worked as a slot cornerback on 409 defensive plays last season. Simmons also played 297 snaps in the box, 110 on the defensive line and saw a bit of work as a boundary corner and as a safety. He will be an interesting chess piece for Gannon and Rallis.
Simmons’ versatility led to a 99-tackle, four-sack, two-interception, two-forced-fumble season; he returned one of those picks for a touchdown — a 56-yard score in an October matchup with the Saints. Simmons finished with 105 tackles and four forced fumbles in 2021, providing considerable value during a season in which the Cardinals snapped a lengthy playoff drought and ranked in the top 10 in defensive DVOA. The Cards briefly minimized Simmons’ role last season but quickly restored it, though he will start over with a new staff this year.
The Cards used first-round picks on Simmons and Zaven Collins at linebacker over the past four years. Keim did so after drafting hybrid player Deone Bucannon in the 2014 first round and Haason Reddick, whom the team converted to an off-ball linebacker, in 2017. The Cardinals lost three of their top defenders this offseason, seeing J.J. Watt retire and Byron Murphy and Zach Allen leave in free agency. Murphy followed Joseph to Denver. Simmons could become a cornerstone player under Monti Ossenfort‘s GM regime, but the team will make him prove it.
Simmons would represent an interesting franchise tag case, given his usage across the formation, but if he is classified as a linebacker next year, a tag would be untenable. All linebackers are grouped together under the tag formula, a scenario that helped lead Roquan Smith out of Chicago. Simmons now becomes one of the league’s more interesting contract-year players.
I’m a Philadelphia Eagle fan, DieHard fan at that. but I’ve always had a soft spot for the Arizona Cardinals and all the Arizona sports for some reason, but it is so hard to root for the Cardinals to succeed when they got that jack arse head coach Jonathan Gannon who almost single-handedly was the main reason the Eagles lost the Super Bowl this year because he wouldn’t make any type of defensive changes to try to stop Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the chiefs offense. but I guess it’s better off to root against Cardinals this year if I have a little bit of a root interest for them so they can get rid of Kyler Murray and take Caleb Williams if they end up indeed with the number one pic next year
Covid draft-
This guy was all the buzz, man ton of declines so far from this draft
All those beautiful Covid words wasted. I think I did over 1, 000 pff mocks that year leading up to the draft outta boredom.
future raider
Based on versatility and turnovers, surprised that the Cardinals turned down the 5th year option. An extension wouldn’t cost much more at this point, so there’s that. Another year without having to provide an extension would appeal more to me as a GM.
Twitter/Instagram/Bleacher Report/AZ’s official NFL.com site/Fansided and now here, I’ve been arguing with strangers and writers for years now and defending this kid because I’ve honestly believed he has greatness in him and this season is going to be the big payoff. The biggest hindrance/roadblock to his development unfortunately was his own DC and thankfully that choad is gone so we can only hope the new regime can actually utilize this 1 of a kind weapon they are lucky enough to inherit for an entire campaign. I honestly believe that #9 will have pro bowler,1st team All-Pro added to his bio by this time next year. And the DPOY recipient will come down to Simmons, Darius Leonard(no longer going by Shaquille, that name was a curse), Brian Burns, Derwin James and Micah Parsons. And hopefully a stuffed stat sheet that reads 17gms 135solo 203total tackles 35TFL 5+sacks 5+ints 7+FF 5FR 22PD 4TDs 2safeties -1%missed tackles accompanied by a overall PFF score of 95+ will be enough for Simmons to win the 1st of hopefully multiple DPOY awards