The question has become what will the Arizona Cardinals do now with Isaiah Simmons. While DeAndre Hopkins is gone, Budda Baker will be here when he needs to be, Simmons came in during mini-camp after the 2023 NFL Draft.
That was after the Arizona Cardinals declined to pick up his fifth year rookie option.
Now, how will the Cardinals use Simmons and will he be the next Haason Reddick or is he more looking like a bust?
Well, new defensive coordinator Nick Rallis had quite a take on Simmons, and it was very positive.
#AZCardinals DC Nick Rallis to @WolfandLuke on Isaiah Simmons’ role:
“When you first arrive, you say, ‘This guy can do this, this guy can do this, this guy can do this.’ But hang on, is that fair to the player? Let’s make sure whatever we ask him to do first, he masters it.”
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) May 31, 2023
There is much more to the quote, make sure you click on it and ready further along, but basically Rallis is saying the Cardinals are going to make sure Simmons makes plays at one position before they ask him to be a Swiss Army Knife.
This was something Jess and I discussed over and over again with Simmons, it took him three seasons at Clemson to really master things. That is at the collegiate level in one of the worst conferences in college football.
Now, he is in the NFL, against some of the best offensive minds in the NFL in the NFC West, and shockingly he struggled to pick things up.
Maybe with Rallis and the defensive staff, they will be able to utilize Simmons and make sure he is ready to contribute, then maybe add more to his plate.