The Arizona Cardinals selected rookie Isaiah Simmons eighth overall in the 2020 draft to play linebacker. With his size, speed, athleticism and production in college, they believe he can be special at the position.
One of his greatest traits while at Clemson was his ability to play all over the field. He was a safety who transitioned over time to linebacker. Because of circumstances on the roster for the Cardinals, he might end up back at safety.
Thus far this season, he has barely played because Jordan Hicks and De’Vondre Campbell have played very well.
The coaching staff is not unhappy with Simmons. He just isn’t getting playing time yet and it affords them the luxury of letting him learn.
However, safety Jalen Thompson must miss at least one more game with an ankle injury, as he is on injured reserve. Budda Baker will miss at least one game after getting surgery to repair ligaments in his thumb. Chris Banjo, who had been starting in place of Thompson, left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury.
That leaves Deionte Thompson, Curtis Riley (who has been with the team a little more than a week) and special teamer Charles Washington.
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters Monday, “there has been discussion” about moving Simmons to safety, at least for now.
“Isaiah is a guy who played multiple positions there at Clemson and obviously has a feel for some of that,” he said. “With those bodies being down, we may have to look into that.”
This would be a natural way to let Simmons get playing time and have an immediate impact. Of course, it does run the risk of doing what they did to Haason Reddick. Reddick was drafted to play inside linebacker, which was a new position. An injyr to Markus Golden led him to be chaned to outside linebacker, similar to the defensive end position he played in college. Then he moved back to off the ball in 2018, only to be moved to inside linebacker in 2019 and then back to outside linebacker. Finally, four years into his career, he appears to be finally look like a productive player.
But if this can be somewhat short term, Simmons can both get playing time and fill a desperate need at the moment.
It wasn’t how things were originally planned, but it might be the best way to take care of the defense and also let their top pick make plays.
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