Heading into year six, NFL veteran Isaiah Simmons is battling bust talk. After getting selected eighth overall during the 2020 NFL Draft, Simmons was looking to transition smoothly from a successful Clemson run to the Arizona Cardinals.
Eventually, the New York Giants attempted to take advantage of Simmons’ slow start to the pros by buying low. In 2023, the Giants traded for the former first-rounder by sending a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Cardinals.
After two seasons, the Giants allowed Simmons to walk in free agency. He took on a one-year, prove-it deal with the Green Bay Packers. Simmons feels the Packers “had the best plan” for him as he enters a critical 2025 campaign.
“I think really what I ran into most of my career is everybody wants me to do everything as opposed to letting me get really good at one thing first,” Simmons told reporters this week, per Pro Football Talk.
“I fully believe in Haf’s plan. He’s letting me just lock in and learn a small portion first before we even think about expanding to anything else. That’s something I really appreciate because I never really had that opportunity to really just hone in on one position. That’s been huge for me.”
Positionally, Simmons shifted around since his rookie season in Arizona. Although he was starting by year two, participating in 92 percent of the Cardinals’ snaps, that number dipped each year after. In year three, Simmons saw the field for just 81 percent of the defensive snaps.
When Simmons got to the Giants, he played just 33 percent of the snaps on defense, as he saw a change from the linebacker position to safety. During his first year in New York, Simmons came up with 50 tackles, three pass deflections, and one interception, which went for a touchdown.
By year two, Simmons’ playing time was way down. In the 17 games he played, Simmons finished the year with a career-low 21 tackles and zero interceptions. Although Simmons was on a one-year extension, which was offered after his first run with the Giants, the veteran safety was not in New York’s long-term plans.
Despite the situation not working out for Simmons and the Giants, the veteran made it clear he was “grateful” for the Giants. “They lit a fire under me, and I’m ready to go,” he added.
The former Clemson star is now looking for a resurgence with the Packers. At 27 years old, Simmons is entering his sixth NFL season and has a lot to prove as a former top 10 selection.
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