NFL team reportedly makes contract decision on former Clemson defender
By: Staff Report May 1, 2023

An NFL team has reportedly made a contract decision on this former Clemson defender.

The Arizona Cardinals are not picking up the fifth-year option for Isaiah Simmons, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

If that’s the case, Simmons will become a free agent next offseason as a 25-year-old.

“He enters a contract year with a chance to make it count with a big season in coach Jonathan Gannon’s defense,” Rapoport wrote on Twitter.

Simmons, who was drafted eighth overall in 2020, has appeared in 50 games (37 starts) over his first three NFL seasons.

The 6-foot-4, 238-pounder has totaled 258 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, four interceptions, 16 passes defended, seven forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his NFL career.

Simmons is listed as a linebacker but has the athleticism and versatility to play different positions on defense. He took on more of a defensive back role last season, when he tallied 99 total tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, seven passes defended, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two interceptions including one he returned for a touchdown.

At Clemson, Simmons transitioned from safety in 2017 to the starting nickel/sam linebacker position in 2018 and was eventually named the Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker in 2019 in only his second year at the position. He concluded his Clemson career (2016-19) credited with 253 tackles (28.5 for loss), 10.5 sacks, 22 pass breakups, four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), five forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over 44 games (29 starts).

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