Simmons is a safety, not a linebacker

[Cardsfaninlouky]

It will be much like Clemson but as many stated, you need to give the kid a define position as a starting point or it's simply too much no matter how football savvy he might be... he will be a LB which will expand his joker's wild ability as he learns the defense

You're right, they're calling him an ILB by position but as most of us think, he will play multiple roles in different packages, "eraser"/"problem solver" lol. I listened to his interview today on 98.7. Simmons basically said a lot of players get too much information thrown at them & it gets confusing, he said he's actually better with more information thrown at him, that's where he excels. We shall see but after watching the kid do all the things he did at Clemson, he's a tough player with a lot of mental capacity. I can't wait to watch him challenge TE's & make plays in space.

 

[BritCard]

He even said his most comfortable position is ILB. They will move him around by down, distance, & opponent.

Simmons said he models his game on Honey Badger and Derwin James. They play... Strong safety primarily.

Vance - we'll play you at LB then

 

[BritCard]

Can anyone tell me any successful player ever in the NFL that didn't play the vast majority of thier snaps at one position?

Derwin James has played 50% SS and 40% FS. That's not unusual for safeties but it's still 90% at safety.

If you think Simmons is going to be this position less player who does 20% here, 30% there etc you're dreaming.

Not only would it have little chance of working but Vance simply isn't good enough as a DC.


You can make much more use of Simmons versatility as a strong safety. You also have a better starting 11.

Hicks - Campbell - Simmons is better than Hicks - Simmons - Thompson

 

[BritCard]

Just like he did in college.

You know those PFF stats are just for last year right? He played the whole of 17 and 18 at safety when Kendall Joseph and Tre Lamar were staring MLB's. Yes they moved him around bit too, but nowhere near like last year. He played waaaay more snaps as a safety in college than any other position.

You all seem to be missing my point anyway. Simmons versatility is much more useful at SS than ILB.

If Simmons was a great ILB why would you take him out to play some snaps at Edge or to cover a slot receiver? You would be making your core weaker. You take Simmons out at MLB they just run up the middle.

Simmons as an elite safety gives you the same options Honey Badger or Derwin James gives their teams.

Move him down into the box on 1st down as a 3rd LB. Have him cover TE's on 3rd down or in the RZ as a slot corner. Rush him from the off ball backer position on 3rd and long. Use him to spy a mobile QB etc etc

If he plays linebacker he will always stay at linebacker. Nobody moves great linebackers around.

At safety however you can do so much more with him.

 

[Stout]

What position did Urlacher play in college. Thomas Davis?

Urlacher was a safety.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Isaiah Simmons will start at linebacker but gives the Cardinals options

Isaiah Simmons’ versatility made him attractive to NFL scouts.

Simmons played safety, cornerback and linebacker at Clemson. He will start at linebacker in the NFL, and it’s unlikely he will spend much time in the secondary, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said Tuesday.

But the Cardinals want to get the most out of Simmons, whom they made the eighth overall choice.

“With this kid’s skillset, he can do a lot of things,” Joseph said, via Darren Urban of the team website. “Until we touch it, until we gameplan, I can’t guarantee where he is going to be.

“If it’s a job that we think he can do, we will put him out there. That’s why he was drafted. I want Isaiah to be Isaiah.”

Simmons, though, will have an all-encompassing role as long as he can fit in particular spots. Joseph calls Simmons “an eraser when bad plays happen.”

“We are going to give him different packages and give him stuff that he is comfortable with,” Kingsbury told Mike Tirico on NBCSN’s Lunch Talk Live on Tuesday. “Having an abbreviated offseason and not seeing guys until camp, we want to make sure wherever we put him, he will play fast and use his athleticism and attack mode that he played with at Clemson.”

 

[GuernseyCard]

You know those PFF stats are just for last year right? He played the whole of 17 and 18 at safety when Kendall Joseph and Tre Lamar were staring MLB's. Yes they moved him around bit too, but nowhere near like last year. He played waaaay more snaps as a safety in college than any other position.

You all seem to be missing my point anyway. Simmons versatility is much more useful at SS than ILB.

If Simmons was a great ILB why would you take him out to play some snaps at Edge or to cover a slot receiver? You would be making your core weaker. You take Simmons out at MLB they just run up the middle.

Simmons as an elite safety gives you the same options Honey Badger or Derwin James gives their teams.

Move him down into the box on 1st down as a 3rd LB. Have him cover TE's on 3rd down or in the RZ as a slot corner. Rush him from the off ball backer position on 3rd and long. Use him to spy a mobile QB etc etc

If he plays linebacker he will always stay at linebacker. Nobody moves great linebackers around.

At safety however you can do so much more with him.

Of course, because Hicks suddenly disappears and they wouldn't adjust using Budda or Jalen.

 

[Russ Smith]

Urlacher was a safety.

Yes and so did Thomas Davis and they both became pro bowl LB's.

Not saying Simmons will, but there's precedent for it.

 

[football karma]

i think he is a safety

its influenced by the idea of getting the best 11 on the field

if Cambell was truly their #1 FA target, then you want him next to Hicks.

so Simmons replaced Jaylen Thompson. The tradeoff is that Budda likely spends less time around the LOS, but, it gives the team interchangable S slots

on true passing downs, a interior D lineman comes off and Thompson or a nickle CB comes on

 

[blindseyed]

Oh my gosh, these off season debates make me want the season to stat tomorrow! lol I mean seriously, Who cares what he is labeled as long as we're better and we win

 

[juza76]

Can anyone tell me any successful player ever in the NFL that didn't play the vast majority of thier snaps at one position?

Derwin James has played 50% SS and 40% FS. That's not unusual for safeties but it's still 90% at safety.

If you think Simmons is going to be this position less player who does 20% here, 30% there etc you're dreaming.

Not only would it have little chance of working but Vance simply isn't good enough as a DC.


You can make much more use of Simmons versatility as a strong safety. You also have a better starting 11.

Hicks - Campbell - Simmons is better than Hicks - Simmons - Thompson

Looking at the past projecting if a player can be effective as a multipositional player is disputable cause Simmons is a unique talent
The only comparison worth of consideration are with Urlacher, both played Safety in college and their measurable and atheticism are similar
Simmons from several sources has high football IQ so he won't have any problems being lined up all over the field

 

[cardncubfan]

Simmons said he models his game on Honey Badger and Derwin James. They play... Strong safety primarily.

Vance - we'll play you at LB then

''Simmons told Jones he's most comfortable at weak-side linebacker—which makes complete sense because the position allows an uber-athlete of his caliber to chase down opponents and make plays all over the field.''


https://bleacherreport.com/articles...most-athletic-defender-but-where-will-he-play

 

[DVontel]

i think he is a safety

its influenced by the idea of getting the best 11 on the field

if Cambell was truly their #1 FA target, then you want him next to Hicks.

so Simmons replaced Jaylen Thompson. The tradeoff is that Budda likely spends less time around the LOS, but, it gives the team interchangable S slots

on true passing downs, a interior D lineman comes off and Thompson or a nickle CB comes on

Don’t like the thought of our best Center fielder getting less snaps...

 

[PDXChris]

Who's ever been successful in the NFL without a set position where they play the majority of snaps?

The NFL isn't college. There are much larger, more complicated playbooks and no player can remember several full positions.

He will play 90% of snaps at one position and have a set of subpackages where he moves around.

Brian Urlacher was used almost exactly the same as Simmons and is was a question when the Bears drafted him if he would be a Safety or Linebacker until the season started. Urlacher's rookies season he was listed at 6'4" and 245lbs and isn't nearly as athletic at Simmons. If Simmons have had half of Urlacher's instincts, we'll get to watch an amazing career for 10-15 years.

PS I'm agreeing with you.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Who's ever been successful in the NFL without a set position where they play the majority of snaps?

The NFL isn't college. There are much larger, more complicated playbooks and no player can remember several full positions.

He will play 90% of snaps at one position and have a set of subpackages where he moves around.

Tyrann Matthieu

 

[JCSunsfan]

It will be interesting to watch. Playing multiple positions is not just a matter of physical capabilities, it takes an incredible football IQ. It also the entire defense to shift around him and a defensive coordinator that can keep it all straight.

To me, the weak point in whatever position Simmons plays is Vance.

If Simmons ends up being enough of a defensive disruptor that opposing QB's always have to look for him on every play--maybe they will forget about Chandler Jones a few times.

 

[BritCard]

''Simmons told Jones he's most comfortable at weak-side linebacker—which makes complete sense because the position allows an uber-athlete of his caliber to chase down opponents and make plays all over the field.''


https://bleacherreport.com/articles...most-athletic-defender-but-where-will-he-play

Why would you have him at WIL? We want him to cover TE's and WIL is on the opposite side.

I don't care if he plays LB or SS. I'm sure he could be great at both. I simply believe that his skill set and flexibility better suit SS and that considering Devondre Campbell is a better LB than Thompson is a safety our starting 11 is much better with Simmons at SS.

 

[BritCard]

Tyrann Matthieu

Come on man. Badger is a safety/slot corner and has played 90% of his snaps there. Exactly as Simmons would.

 

[BritCard]

This ROTB article (and the comments) explain my view on this.

https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2020/4/28/21240240/whats-the-cardinals-plan-for-simmons

 

[THESMEL]

I don’t forget wilkes season, the turnover of players toward the 4-3 - and the whole scale scorched earth fire sale late in the season - what a mess - our defense struggled with run stop and TEs - not sure Joesph did a good job - we got a huge Dline now - May help our smallish fast Ilbs - I need to see something from Joesph to believe it - I do think he helped the draft - mainstream choices instead. Risk risk risk

 

[TheCardFan]

The other thing I am picking up from the press conferences is that VJ has been given a pass for the performance last year based on talent. Keim made it a point to say he was going to fix it and VJ mentioned it a few different ways in his PC yesterday.

VJ also mentioned how the defense played better over the last 30-45 days and mentioned Jalen Thompson as one of the guys that stepped up (said he was behind because he was trying to learn on the fly). He also said that Murphy played much better at the beginning of the season and basically got tired/wore down (he said he played most snaps on defense IIRC). He thinks this offseason will benefit him and he expects him to play more consistently.

That being said. Talent is not an issue this year and VJ won't have any excuses.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Now pitching , Bugs Bunny, catching, Bugs Bunny. At first base, Bugs Bunny..... some of you will get this.

Or more recently Sonic the Hedgehog

 

[Chris_Sanders]

This ROTB article (and the comments) explain my view on this.

https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2020/4/28/21240240/whats-the-cardinals-plan-for-simmons

Quoting a Mitch article as facts to support your argument.

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[Chris_Sanders]

Mitch's next article will be about how Simmons can play DT/DL. Then it will be LB only.

Then he will point and say "See I was right"

 

[BritCard]

Quoting a Mitch article as facts to support your argument.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Its my own opinion. Mitch just happens to be on the same page.

What better?

Hicks - Campbell - Simmons

Or

Hicks - Simmons - Thompson

I know which I'd take.