Cardinals Snag All-Pro Corner in 2020 NFL Re-Draft
The Arizona Cardinals declined the fifth-year option of Isaiah Simmons two weeks ago, pushing the defensive chess piece to free agency after this season.
It was a decision that comes with a lot of pros and cons, though new general manager Monti Ossenfort and new head coach Jonathan Gannon believe it was the right decision.
That doesn't mean the Cardinals can't ink Simmons to a long-term deal now or re-sign him next offseason, but it can be seen as a slight indictment of how he's been produced (and been utilized) since entering the league.
Simmons no doubt is a talented player, but if the Cardinals had a re-do button for the 2020 NFL Draft, would things fall different?
Bleacher Report believes so.
In their redraft of 2020, the Cardinals land current Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.
Cardinals Snag All-Pro Corner in 2020 NFL Re-Draft
"Two big issues plagued the Arizona Cardinals in 2022—Kyler Murray's torn ACL and a putrid defense that ranked 21st overall and 31st in points allowed," said B/R.
"This redraft doesn't provide a solution for the first problem, but it could help the second. Instead of taking former Clemson defender Isaiah Simmons, the Cardinals snag cornerback Trevon Diggs, who originally went 51st overall to the Dallas Cowboys.
"Simmons has flashed a bit of potential (four sacks and two interceptions in 2022) in his three seasons with Arizona, but Diggs has become a bona fide star in Dallas.
"Over the past three years, Diggs has recorded 49 passes defended, 17 interceptions, a fumble recovery and 169 tackles. He's not a true lockdown cover corner—he's surrendered at least 667 receiving yards in every season—but his big-play ability tends to offset his occasional lapses.
"A two-time Pro Bowler and one-time first-team All-Pro selection, Diggs is the sort of centerpiece defender around whom new Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon could forge his secondary."
Especially with Byron Murphy now out of the picture, Diggs' presence would be very welcome on a Cardinals roster that only hopes to improve over the next few seasons. Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson roaming the secondary behind him - with a hopefully improved Marco Wilson - would make for a strong defensive backfield in Arizona.
Bleacher Report had Simmons falling out of the first round in their 2020 redraft.
