In the lead-up to Week 1, the Arizona Cardinals have made the decision to part ways with their 2020 first-round pick, Isaiah Simmons. The former safety turned defensive back has been traded to the New York Giants in return for a 2024 seventh-round pick, as officially announced by the Cardinals.
This move follows closely after Simmons’ participation in his second preseason game with the Cardinals, during which he operated in his new defensive back role. This transition occurred in the offseason as he shifted away from his previous versatile position across the Cardinals’ defense, which he played for three seasons under the guidance of former coach Kliff Kingsbury and former defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
The choice not to exercise Simmons’ fifth-year option was made earlier this year by the Arizona team, under the leadership of new general manager Monti Ossenfort.
Isaiah Simmons, who was chosen as the eighth overall draft pick in 2020 from Clemson, entered the NFL as a player with adaptability across positions. Over his initial three seasons, he showcased his flexibility by playing in four different positions, including significant time as an inside and outside linebacker.
Following conversations with newly appointed Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon, Simmons expressed his desire to shift away from the linebacker role and announced in June his commitment to focusing solely on the defensive backs. Throughout the preseason practices, his role evolved within the secondary lineup, transitioning from slot corner duties to predominantly serving as a free safety.
Jonathan Gannon conveyed, “It’s not a question of Isaiah’s performance; he executed all our directives. Our forward-looking strategy emphasizes a different approach to our game against other teams. We aim to deploy the most capable individuals who can effectively execute their roles.”
Earlier in the training camp, Simmons, originally a safety recruit for Clemson, disclosed his learning process for his new position. He expressed contentment with his move to safety and his enjoyment in adapting to this fresh role.
However, Simmons encountered challenges in the recent preseason loss to the Chiefs. He struggled to keep pace with Chiefs receiver Justin Watson on a touchdown pass, and his pursuit of Kansas City quarterback Shane Buechele during a 15-yard touchdown run was ineffective.
The upcoming Week 2 match will see the Giants facing off against the Cardinals in Arizona.
In a parallel transaction, the Cardinals are also including offensive tackle Josh Jones, who made 11 starts last season, and a seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft in a trade to the Texans. In return, they will acquire a fifth-round pick for the same year.
This exchange is pending completion of a physical assessment.
Josh Jones, aged 26, was selected in the third round from the University of Houston in the 2020 draft and has predominantly served as a backup. While he started 12 games in 2021 and 9 in 2022, his prominence as a starter diminished over time. Despite being a contender for the starting right tackle position this season, the emergence of offensive lineman Paris Johnson, selected as the sixth overall pick, led to Jones’ diminishing chances of reclaiming a starter role.
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