Giants 2024 UFA Primer: ILB Isaiah Simmons

Isaiah Simmons was a low-risk, high-reward gamble taken by the Giants. How did it work out?

Isaiah Simmons, LB

Height: 6 foot 4
Weight: 238 lbs.
Age: 25
NFL Exp.: 4 seasons
College: Clemson

The New York Giants traded for Isaiah Simmons on August 24, 2023, acquiring him from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a seventh-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft. In his sole season with the Giants, Simmons illustrated spurts of his versatility, athleticism, and promising talent that led him to be selected eighth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.

As a rookie for the Cardinals, Simmons played in 16 games (started in seven) but was given a reserved role that only led him to play in a total of 376 defensive snaps with an additional 112 on special teams. Despite such, Simmons still finished with 54 combined tackles (43 solos) to go with two sacks, two passes defended, one interception, and one forced fumble.

Seeing how well he played in his first season, the Cardinals made Simmons a regular starter a year later, and the youngster thrived with his new workload. Starting in all 17 games over 2021, Simmons finished with 105 combined tackles (70 solos), seven passes defended, six pressures, four forced fumbles (another career high), and 1.5 sacks.

In 2022, Simmons would continue to produce at a high level in 17 games played (13 started), coming away with 99 combined tackles (68 solo), seven passes defended, four sacks (a career high), two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. After a slow start as a rookie, Simmons came out of the gate red hot over his next two seasons and made a strong case for just how great of a talent he can be.

However, when a defender is selected in any Top 10 of an NFL Draft, they will always have high expectations. And the Cardinals, who are going through a big rebuild, decided in 2023 that Simmons wasn’t worth the investment anymore, trading him away to the Giants.

2023 Recap

After being an every-down type of starter over 2021 and 2022, the Giants designated Simmons to play a similar role as a rookie in Arizona. This was predominantly because the Giants signed linebacker Bobby Okereke over the offseason to be their number-one inside linebacker and defensive signal caller before trading for Simmons.

Additionally, 24-year-old Micah McFadden had a very strong sophomore campaign in 2023 and won over the second inside linebacker starting role for most of the season.

This didn’t leave Simmons with much, playing in a near career-low 377 defensive snaps, many of those in a spy-type role. However, despite his diminished workload, Simmons still made the most of his time on the field and adapted well to his new team.

In 17 games (4 starts), Simmons finished with 50 combined tackles (33 solo), three passes defended, a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble. Simmons saw a career-high in snaps (224) as a special teamer, leading him to finish with three combined tackles.

During his final season at Clemson, Simmons finished with 104 combined tackles and eight sacks, highlighting the type of star he can be. But the one key factor that Simmons’ 2021 and 2022 NFL campaigns share in common with his breakout season in college is that he has to be a full-time starter if he stands a chance at being one of the best linebackers in the league.

Why Giants Should Re-sign Him

When you can land a Top 10 draft pick in exchange for just a seventh-rounder, it should be in your best interest to do everything you can to bring back that player, whether it’s on a cost-efficient deal or not. Although Simmons hasn't taken the league by storm, some elite prospects uncork their untapped potential later in their careers, and Simmons certainly fits that "late bloomer" profile.

The fact of the matter with Simmons is that he needs a lot of playing time to reach his full potential and, in the process, grow into the dominant talent he can be. Though we’ve yet to see the same kind of pass-rushing menace Simmons was during his time at Clemson, that could change with the more reps he receives and, in the process, lead him to become one dynamic one-two punch with Okereke.

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Why Giants Shouldn’t Re-sign Him

Because Simmons is 25 and still an elite linebacker coming off a solid season, he could ask the Giants for a bigger contract they might not be able to afford. After working with a limiting rookie deal and then being downgraded to a backup over 2023, Simmons might come knocking at the door for a better contract and a significantly bigger role.

Meanwhile, McFadden is still on an affordable rookie contract that runs until 2026 and happened to play well alongside Okereke over 2023. If the Giants want to conserve their cap space, keeping Simmons could become quite the financial burden and might prevent them from doing just that.

Keep or Move On??

If the Giants can reach a contractual agreement with Simmons that includes making him the co-starting inside linebacker alongside Okereke, they should bring him back next season. Simmons is about to enter his prime and is simply way too underrated of a talent to let go of without at least approaching him with a contract offer.

The Giants are dealing with many pressing free-agent priorities and don’t have much wiggle room regarding cap space. But Simmons is the kind of player who, if granted the right opportunity, can become one of the best inside linebackers in the league. If the Giants can make it happen and bring him back, even for one more year, it would go a long way, be it for the defense or special teams unit.

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