The guy has value as a player. He's not what we wanted him to be, at least with how we used him, but there will be worse players on our roster this year than Simmons. The fact we paid his bonus only to now trade him for a 7th is a joke. Clearly an ad-hoc move, not one with a plan in mind*.
I don't expect him to become the next Reddick, but the guy might have a decent career if stuck at one position with a team that knows how to coach players. He has limitations, but also some great attributes. He's flashed. He'll likely flash quite a bit again. There's something to work with. With our team at the bottom of the league in terms of talent, we just gave up on the guy. The gap between us and the average NFL team just got bigger.
When we were hiring our GM/coaches, surely you find out what they think of the better players and higher draft picks on the roster. You see what the plan for them was. It's not a good sign they missed on Simmons and cut bait for a 7th this early. It makes one wonder, what else did they get wrong?
I also find it weird that all these good players we let go in free agency, assets we didn't capitalize on, and high draft picks with talent just didn't fit that quick turnaround plan. Imagine telling MB during the interview... yeah we'll not re-sign Allen or Murphy to team-friendly contracts, release Hopkins, and trade Simmons. Would the candidate who presented that plan be the one you hired for a 'quick turnaround'?
Everything is pointing to a complete tear-down, and I just hope the new front office recognizes that is what they are doing because I'm starting to doubt it.
It seemed most of Simmons's issues were his 'head'. I just find it perplexing that it could be his head when he was also moved around in college. Moving him back to safety then cutting bait. Whatever plan they had, it didn't work.
Also, I don't see how ducking questions about Simmons helps build the team. Seems like a coward's way out.
That leaves me as a fan to think there's one of two options happening. Either this is a full rebuild they are bumbling into one ad-hoc decision at a time or a full rebuild that they are being sly* about. Either way, it's a full rebuild. With this team, I can't rule out the first, even if it's probably the 2nd.
Just remember whatever their plan is... they keep telling us they are trying to build a team for a quick turnaround, but all we keep seeing is the removal of talent. Full rebuild.