With less than two weeks until the start of the regular season, the Arizona Cardinals are still making moves. Today, it was announced that the team traded Isaiah Simmons to the New York Giants. All they had to give up was a future 7th-round pick. An easy low-risk option with potential high reward for New York.
Coming out of the 2020 NFL Draft, Isaiah Simmons was a versatile football player who was not locked into one position. The 25-year-old has played linebacker and safety for the Cardinals. During the preseason, the team has Simmons playing CB. It will be interesting where Giants’ DC Wink Martindale will want to play the skilled defensive talent.
Did the Giants just fleece the Cardinals by only trading a 7th-rounder for Isaiah Simmons?
Giants are trading for Cardinals DB/LB Isaiah Simmons in exchange for a 2024 7th round pick. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/WuCGjgvfzR
— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2023
In three professional seasons, Isaiah Simmons has yet to miss a game in the NFL. He’s played in 50 career contests for the Cardinals and has 37 starts. After being a versatile defender for Arizona, they moved on and traded him to the Giants. This offseason, Simmons asked new head coach Jonathan Gannon that he didn’t want to play LB anymore.
The 25-year-old insisted on playing DB for the Cardinals this season. During the preseason, Simmons was getting work at CB with Arizona. He played 25 snaps at CB in their second preseason game last week. Now, Simmons finds himself in a different situation with the Giants. New York has CB covered this season, Simmons may have to be comfortable with switching back to an LB role.
Isaiah Simmons was the 8th overall pick in the 2020 Draft, he’s now traded for a 7th round pick to the #Giants
Simmons is truly one of the freakish atheltes in NFL combine history.
He ran 4.39 at 6’4, 238 pounds with 20 bench reps.
Big upside for NYG.https://t.co/f3J4lohfT3 pic.twitter.com/qSbGNKAZO8
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 24, 2023
Isaiah Simmons was a player that the Giants were targeting in 2020. New York had the 4th overall selection in that draft. They took LT Andrew Thomas out of Georgia who has since become an All-Pro. With CB locked up for the Giants, Simmons might find himself playing LB more than he wanted to this season.
As it stands, LB is one of the Giants’ thinnest position groups in 2023. After their starters, there is not a lot of depth. Isaiah Simmons is an elite athlete who is perfect for Wink Martindale’s defensive system. Simmons is a hybrid player who can be lined up almost anywhere on defense. That is the type of versatility the GIants need from a depth piece. There’s even a chance for Simmons to have s starting LB role this season alongside Bobby Okereke.
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