What happened to Isaiah Simmons?

[DumboD]

It was his first NFL game, with no pre-season. Too much drama with no direction...we WON the game against a team that went 13-3 last year. Simmons will be fine and doesn't have to worry about being cut, as some of you are suggesting. It's realistic that he makes mistakes in his first game...unrealistic that he plays like an All-Pro. Keep it real.....

 

[Shaggy]

If he’s being drafted to play a specific position it is. You think a GM drafts a guy without knowing the game plan for him? That’s nuts.

Wasn't he drafted due to BPA and Simmons was it? We all were excited about it and now one bad game and Kiem goes from winner to loser in 2.2 secs?

 

[Delmar M Lewis]

To count in a rookie in their 1st game let alone with absolutely No OTA's or Training and then trash him is kinda not to smart Do not count anyone out especially in these circumstances it's a extremely weird season

 

[Chopper0080]

To count in a rookie in their 1st game let alone with absolutely No OTA's or Training and then trash him is kinda not to smart Do not count anyone out especially in these circumstances it's a extremely weird season

No one is trashing him. He played bad. That is just making an observation regarding his play.

People rebut that it is because of limited offseason and no preseason games. Not true because other top 10 defensive players made plays despite having the same circumstances.

This board struggles sometimes to acknowledge that you can be critical of star players and young players.

I disagree with Dvontel regarding Patrick Peterson, but that doesn't mean his observations aren't valid.

Several people are critical of Budda Baker and the big donut he has in the INT stat line. That means different things to different people but it doesn't invalidate the statement.

Byron Murphy. There were questions about his coverage skills. He started answering some of those by having a couple keep breakups this last game.

It was the same with Kyler Murray last year. At times he played really bad. Just because he is a young player doesn't make it untrue. He has shown growth and development which is why those concerns are voiced less and less.

The same goes for Simmons. In his first game, he was awful and made a negative impact. Until he shows something different that is all we have to discuss regarding his NFL career.

 

[slanidrac16]

Ok. This is for the week 1 & no preseason crowd.

Chase Young had 1.5 sacks with no preseason.

Derrick Brown had a TFL and kocked a pass down.

CJ Henderson had a pick and three passes defensed.

You could even argue that Jeff Okudah didn't have as bad of a day because he didn't give up two TDs.

Simmons had an awful day for a top 10, non-QB pick. It probably couldn't have been worse. That is a fact. The lack of offseason and preseason is not a viable excuse because I have cited other dudes in the same situation who didn't crap the bed. I would argue that it isn't his fault because he isn't being used like he as in college. If he was being used like he was in college, it would be much more concerning.

Like Harry says, it is too early to define his career and guys develop at different rates, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth mentioning or isn't a little concerning.

Okudah didn’t play bad because he didn’t play. He was on the inactive list. Imagine the reaction on this board if Simmons was inactive????

 

[jf-08]

(I will give Keim a pass on Murphy as I believe that due to injury to Alford)

And the impending PP suspension. That pick needed to be made, IMO.

 

[BritCard]

Remember my long thread with lots of arguing where I said Simmons was a safety not a linebacker? Well part of what I said in that was he barely played true ILB down within 5 yards of the LOS where you have to diagnose plays and think fast.

When he played ILB it was often WLB well off the LOS with a very specific job in mind. He was either covering a specific player (slot or TE), QB spy or rushing the passer. There was very little thinking involved.

It takes a long time to learn those true ILB instincts. But he's a very smart kid apparently, I'm sure he will get there. I still think Simmons at SS and Budda at FS would be one of the best safety duo's in the league. Jamal Adams had a day on Sunday and Simmons could be that guy but better.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I remember being at a Ravens game in the early 2000's, when their first-round rookie safety picked off a pass and ran it back for what should've been a TD - but he started hot dogging and holding the ball out around the 10, got caught from behind and stripped of the ball at the 1. I was certain that anyone who would make such a bone-head play as that would never amount to anything and should be cut immediately! Dunno what ever became of that guy, i think he wore #20....

...dave

I have no idea how that relates to Simmons. He obviously showed great skill in picking off the pass and made a hotdogging mistake. Simmons didn’t display great skill.

 

[Chopper0080]

Remember my long thread with lots of arguing where I said Simmons was a safety not a linebacker? Well part of what I said in that was he barely played true ILB down within 5 yards of the LOS where you have to diagnose plays and think fast.

When he played ILB it was often WLB well off the LOS with a very specific job in mind. He was either covering a specific player (slot or TE), QB spy or rushing the passer. There was very little thinking involved.

It takes a long time to learn those true ILB instincts. But he's a very smart kid apparently, I'm sure he will get there. I still think Simmons at SS and Budda at FS would be one of the best safety duo's in the league. Jamal Adams had a day on Sunday and Simmons could be that guy but better.

I don't disagree with this premise but i believe the dice has been cast for this season.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Wasn't he drafted due to BPA and Simmons was it? We all were excited about it and now one bad game and Kiem goes from winner to loser in 2.2 secs?

The player isn’t a bad draft pick. But if keim is drafting him for a position that he hasn’t played predominantly through his college career it IS a continuing pattern that hasn’t panned out well for him. It can be both a potentially good pick but evidence of a questionable strategy at the same time.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

No one is trashing him. He played bad. That is just making an observation regarding his play.

People rebut that it is because of limited offseason and no preseason games. Not true because other top 10 defensive players made plays despite having the same circumstances.

This board struggles sometimes to acknowledge that you can be critical of star players and young players.

I disagree with Dvontel regarding Patrick Peterson, but that doesn't mean his observations aren't valid.

Several people are critical of Budda Baker and the big doughnut he has in the INT stat line. That means different things to different people but it doesn't invalidate the statement.

Byron Murphy. There were questions about his coverage skills. He started answering some of those by having a couple keep breakups this last game.

It was the same with Kyler Murray last year. At times he played really bad. Just because he is a young player doesn't make it untrue. He has shown growth and development which is why those concerns are voiced less and less.

The same goes for Simmons. In his first game, he was awful and made a negative impact. Until he shows something different that is all we have to discuss regarding his NFL career.

This. All of this.

and I’m a huge Simmons fan and believe he’s going to be great for us (so much so that I’m pissed he chose such an awful number because it lessens the likelihood of my buying his jersey - I know, weird hangup of mine).

 

[daves]

I have no idea how that relates to Simmons. He obviously showed great skill in picking off the pass and made a hotdogging mistake. Simmons didn’t display great skill.

Don't cut a rookie after 1 game because of a bonehead mistake - whether it's bad technique or bad judgement. Sorry, i shouldn't have mentioned this because it wasn't the EXACT SAME THING and it's too difficult for people to see any similarity or relevance. :eyeroll:

...dbs

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Don't cut a rookie after 1 game because of a bonehead mistake - whether it's bad technique or bad judgement. Sorry, i shouldn't have mentioned this because it wasn't the EXACT SAME THING and it's too difficult for people to see any similarity or relevance. :eyeroll:

...dbs

I don’t think anyone’s taking the “cut him” comments seriously.

and it needn’t be the EXACT SAME THING for it to be analogous, which your post wasn’t. In one instance you bring up a guy exhibiting great football skill but making a bonehead hotdog display and compare it to a guy who exhibited little skill on Sunday. I repeat my questioning of the relevancy of your analogy.

 

[daves]

I don’t think anyone’s taking the “cut him” comments seriously.

I didn't "seriously" want the Ravens to cut Ed Reed, either. But i went off on the guy for making a terrible and highly visible play early in his rookie season.

Plenty of posts here are arguing that he's not going to make it as an NFL linebacker.

and it needn’t be the EXACT SAME THING for it to be analogous, which your post wasn’t. In one instance you bring up a guy exhibiting great football skill but making a bonehead hotdog display and compare it to a guy who exhibited little skill on Sunday. I repeat my questioning of the relevancy of your analogy.

Both are examples of a highly touted rookie defender making a bad play and having people, seriously or not, questioning whether he belongs in the NFL or at least at his position, whether it be because of bad instincts for the position / less skill than advertised / failure to realize how fast NFL players are, or bad judgement / attitude / failure to realize how fast and tenacious NFL players are.

Several people liked my story so i think they understood how this thread's overreaction to Simmons' conspicuous bad play reminded me of my overreaction to Reed's conspicuous bad play.

If you still don't get it and feel the need to keep quibbling with it, I can only assume you're being deliberately obtuse.

...dbs

 

[juza76]

One of the concern after the draft was if the defensive coach was able to use Simmons at his full potential , a player with ton of potential but without a true position
Reading some football analysts comments about him, was about let this guy play all over the field exploiting his athletic abilites and nose for the football
Then in week one we saw him, totally confused and missing alignments
Certainly Simmons failed in week one but even the coach didn't help him to make him play more comfortable

 

[SoonerLou]

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[SoonerLou]

The player isn’t a bad draft pick. But if keim is drafting him for a position that he hasn’t played predominantly through his college career it IS a continuing pattern that hasn’t panned out well for him. It can be both a potentially good pick but evidence of a questionable strategy at the same time.

Former scout John Middlekauff said that people around the league felt like Simmons would be great day 1 when in a dime defense. However, unless you have an elite DC its going to be a bit of a learning curve for him.

Watched Mic'd up and Kittle said Simmons is extremely handsy and they could exploit him. So it could be just a case he's not ready for the Kittle's of the world.

Logan Thomas should be much easier to handle. Darren Urban said on Cardinals Underground that Simmons did struggle with that route he got beat on in practice.

 

[FB94]

Geez, let’s give the guy a break already. No off season or pre season and we think he will be an all pro right out of the gate. Learning the playbook over zoom meetings and training camp reps is night and day from real game speed. By all accounts he has a great work ethic and eager to learn. Patience

 

[HairZach]

I feel like every player on our defense was caught looking lost at some point last year under year 1 of Vance. I'll give him some time. Maybe Vance's system is difficult to pick up?

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

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Actually kind of interesting. Simmons was actually moving really fast, but Mostert is such a freak that he made him look slow on that play. At least once he got by him.

 

[Goldfield]

With Thompson on IR I wouldn’t mind seeing Simmons at safety

 

[DVontel]

With Thompson on IR I wouldn’t mind seeing Simmons at safety

He doesn’t have the twitch to play there in the NFL.

 

[Chopper0080]

He doesn’t have the twitch to play there in the NFL.

I think his physical advantage could overcome that, but I believe it is best for Simmons to maintain his focus on his current role. No need to increase the learning curve even further.

 

[Timm Rosenbach]

Simmons not being competent enough to even contribute is concerning. Sure could have used him today. If this is still going on in 5 weeks, it’s reason for bust talk. A top 10 pick on defense should be able to play right away. Not sure what is going on but the staff needs to figure out what to do with him

 

[AZfaninMN]

Simmons not being competent enough to even contribute is concerning. Sure could have used him today. If this is still going on in 5 weeks, it’s reason for bust talk. A top 10 pick on defense should be able to play right away. Not sure what is going on but the staff needs to figure out what to do with him

Who does he replace on the D? Campbell? Hicks? And don’t say banjo at safety because he’s not a deep safety