The New York Giants added a piece to their defense Thursday with the reported trade of Cardinals safety Isaiah Simmons. New York reportedly gave up a seventh-round pick for Simmons, who was the No. 8 pick in the 2020 draft, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Simmons, 25, had recently been converted to safety this offseason after he spent his first three years as a linebacker. He tallied 258 combined tackles, 11 quarterback hits, 7.5 sacks and four interceptions in 50 games since 2020. Despite his position, Simmons mostly played in the secondary in 2022 to his position change — he played slot cornerback on 409 snaps, wide cornerback on 28 snaps and free safety on 53 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Simmons only played in the box or on the defensive line in 407 total snaps.
Now in New York, Simmons will get a chance to compete in Wink Martindale’s defense. Xavier McKinney is will likely remain the starting free safety, but the other safety position remains up for grabs with Jason Pinnock and Dane Belton jockeying for the role. Simmons is still a raw prospect — especially in his new position — but played a lot of deep safety during his time at Clemson.
So while Simmons didn’t find his role with the Cardinals, he very well could with the Giants — a team which looks to build on its playoff appearance in 2022 in the competitive NFC East.
