The Arizona Cardinals are sending a former first-round pick to the New York Giants weeks before the 2023 season begins.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Giants are acquiring Isaiah Simmons for a seventh-round selection in next year’s draft.
Trade: Isaiah Simmons is being traded from the Cardinals to the NY Giants for a seventh-round pick in 2024, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 24, 2023
Arizona made Simmons the No. 8 pick in 2020 after amassing 104 tackles (16.5 for a loss), eight sacks, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles in his final year at Clemson. The All-American entered the NFL as an intriguingly versatile athlete capable of playing linebacker or safety.
The 6-foot-4, 238-pound defender also dazzled scouts by running the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds with a 39-inch vertical jump at the NFL Scouting Combine. He garnered a 99 athleticism score (on a 100 scale) from NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
Simmons collected 258 tackles, seven forced fumbles, and 7.5 sacks in three seasons with the Cardinals. However, he’s struggled considerably in pass coverage.
Per Pro Football Reference, Simmons yielded 54 completions on 70 targets for 518 yards, four touchdowns, and a 104.3 opposing quarterback rating last season.
Because Arizona declined his fifth-year option, Simmons enters the final year of his contract. That likely promoted the Cardinals to move on before beginning what’s largely expected to be a retooling year as Kyler Murray recovers from an ACL tear.
But while he hasn’t found his ideal position in the NFL, the 25-year-old presents an intriguing buy-low gamble for Wink Martindale’s Giants defense. Simmons could join Kayvon Thibodeaux to give Big Blue another dynamic pass-rusher as they look to prove last year’s unexpected playoff run wasn’t a fluke.