Report: Giants to Deploy Former Cardinals Weapon Isaiah Simmons at LB

Former Arizona Cardinals defensive player Isaiah Simmons says he doesn't want to play linebacker - the New York Giants have other things in mind.

The Arizona Cardinals completed a trade with the New York Giants this morning to send Isaiah Simmons packing for the Big Apple in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick.

The move was made just a few days ahead of their preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings with the regular season on the horizon. 

Simmons - set to be a free agent after this year following Arizona's decision to decline his fifth-year option - hopes to make a big impact on his new squad, though it looks like he'll be moving back to linebacker according to ESPN Giants reporter Jordan Raanan:

"The Giants plan to use Isaiah Simmons as a linebacker. He's bounced around between linebacker and safety in Arizona," said Raanan, who also mentioned one NFL executive told him Simmons was a "perfect project" for Giants DC Wink Martindale.

Simmons was made a top-ten pick by the Cardinals back in 2020 and was initially deployed as a linebacker before transitioning to nickel corner last year and eventually safety this offseason. 

Simmons recently told us in the Cardinals media he did not want to play at linebacker, as his preferred position was safety.

"I told them I didn't want to play linebacker," Simmons said during training camp.

"If they came here and said, 'You're going to be a Mike linebacker,' I would've done it to the best of my ability. I think they understood that maybe the designed position I was supposed to be at, and I'm happy they let me come in and lock in on one position."

He also expanded on the previous season/regime of head coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Monti Ossenfort.

"A lot of that had to do with what we were doing on the field, there were times I was playing a position because maybe we were down in injuries, or … there were just certain circumstances that led to me playing certain positions last year as opposed to maybe doing what was best for me," Simmons said.

"Now doing what's best for me is actually best for the team. so I think now why it looks like I feel a little more free, more like myself in my game."

We'll see if he still feels the same in New York. The Giants will be coming to Arizona in Week 2 of the regular season. 

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