Isaiah Simmons Injury News & Updates

Simmons was released by the Packers on Tuesday, Wes Hodkiewicz of the team's official website reports.

Simmons signed with Green Bay in April, recording a team-high 19 total tackles (14 solo) over three preseason contests. Although he won't stick around with the Packers, the linebacker likely showed enough to earn another opportunity elsewhere.

Simmons signed a one-year contract with the Packers on Tuesday.

Simmons visited the Packers on April 14 and he'll now officially join the team ahead of the 2025 campaign. The linebacker, who was the eighth pick of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cardinals, is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he recorded 21 total tackles (12 solo), two passes defensed and a forced fumble over 17 regular-season games with the Giants. The 26-year-old's 6-foot-4, 238-pound frame allows for some positional variability and he'll likely be a valuable asset for Green Bay on both defense and special teams in 2025.

Simmons is listed as the No. 2 nickel corner on the Giants' first unofficial depth chart, Dan Salomone of the team's official site reports.

Though the depth chart is subject to change during the preseason, Simmons' initial listing seems to confirm that he is switching positions after he worked as a linebacker last year. The Clemson product's versatility has always been one of his strongest traits, and he has plenty of experience in the defensive backfield having played nearly half of his defensive snaps at corner or safety for Arizona in 2022. Rookie third-round pick Andru Phillips is listed as the No. 1 option at nickel corner on New York's first depth chart, but even if that holds true, Simmons should see the field fairly often and could bounce between the nickel-corner position and linebacker.

Simmons was spotted working with the cornerbacks during Wednesday's practice, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

According to Raanan, new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is planning on using Simmons at nickelback, rather than linebacker. The former first-round pick had his most productive season (2022) in a similar role with the Cardinals, when he posted 99 total tackles, including 4.0 sacks, while also defending seven passes, with two interceptions, in 17 games. Regardless of where he plays, Simmons projects to see a lot of the field in 2024.

The Giants re-signed Simmons to a one-year contract Friday, Dan Salomone of the team's official site reports.

In his first year with the team, Simmons recorded 50 tackles, a sack and an interception that he returned for a touchdown in 17 regular-season games. Now that he's been re-signed, the 2020 first-rounder -- who arrived in New York via a trade with Arizona last August -- will reprise his versatile role in the Giants defense, where his ability to play either safety or linebacker is an asset to the unit.

Simmons tallied 50 tackles (33 solo), including a sack, and added an interception that he returned for a touchdown over 17 games during the regular season.

Simmons joined the Giants via trade in August after having been a starter for the Cardinals each of the previous two seasons. With Micah McFadden working up to a full-time starting role in his sophomore campaign, Simmons was relegated to rotational work, and he consequently finished with career-low marks in defensive snaps, tackles and sacks. Simmons' strengths are versatility (he is also capable of playing in the secondary) and durability (he hasn't missed a game in four NFL seasons), but he's yet to fully live up to his potential. The Giants parted ways with Wink Martindale in January, and whether or not the team elects to try to bring back Simmons -- who is in unrestricted free agent -- may depend on the vision of the new defensive coordinator.

Simmons finished Sunday's 26-25 loss to the Rams with four tackles (three solo), including one sack.

Simmons got to Matthew Stafford for a 10-yard sack late in the fourth quarter that forced the Rams to punt on the next play. Simmons played 21 defensive snaps Sunday and has played 20-plus snaps on defense in two consecutive games while playing behind Bobby Okereke and Cam Brown. Simmons is up to 47 tackles (32 solo) over 16 games this season.

Simmons (ankle) is active for the Giants' game against the Packers on Monday, Dan Salomone of the team's official site reports.

Simmons was dealing with an ankle injury during the team's bye week but is now officially good to go. The 2020 first-round pick 35 tackles (24 solo) and a pick six in 12 games played this season.

Simmons recorded three tackles (all solo) and returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown in Sunday's 31-19 Week 11 victory over the Commanders.

Washington was in New York territory and down five points with time ticking down in the fourth quarter when Simmons picked off Sam Howell on a pass intended for Commanders tight end Logan Thomas and scampered into the end zone for a game-sealing score. It was the first interception of the campaign for Simmons, who tallied four pickoffs across his first three NFL seasons with the Cardinals. Simmons has seen a reduced role upon joining New York this year but showed Sunday that he can still make an impact when given the opportunity.

Simmons posted nine tackles (seven solo) Sunday in a loss to Miami.

Simmons finished second on New York in tackles behind Bobby Okereke. He played every one of the Giants' defensive snaps, moving into a starting role in the absence of Micah McFadden (ankle). Simmons would presumably have an every-down role again if McFadden has to miss Week 6.

Simmons recorded a solo tackle in the Giants' 40-0 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday night.

Simmons played only 14 defensive snaps in his debut with New York, limiting him to only one takedown. The 25-year-old was acquired via trade from the Cardinals on Aug. 24 and he's transitioned to linebacker since joining the Giants. He'll look to increase his production in Week 2 against his former team in Arizona.

The Giants plan on using Simmons at linebacker, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

The Giants acquired Simmons from the Cardinals on Thursday in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick. He started 37 of 50 games across three years for Arizona and tallied 258 tackles (181 solo), 16 passes defensed, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovered in the process. During that time he bounced around between linebacker and safety. It looks like the Giants plan on using him as the former when he arrives in New York.

The Cardinals are trading Simmons to the Giants for a 2024 seventh-round pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Simmons was the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and is entering the final season of his rookie contract. He's started 37 of 50 games through three years en route to 16 pass defenses, 7.5 sacks and four interceptions, but he was a liability against the run while playing linebacker and the Cardinals also seemed displeased with his performance as a safety and then slot corner. Giants DC Wink Martindale might be able to find a better role for Simmons, a 25-year-old who ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at 238 pounds three years ago after a prolific college career at Clemson.

Simmons is expected to operate solely as a defensive back next season, Josh Weinfuss reports.

Simmons has played all over the field on defense for the Cardinals since being selected in the second round of the 2020 Draft. However, the new coaching staff in Arizona appears to be ready for the 24-year-old to focus his efforts in the secondary. More specifically, he's expected to earn the opportunity to be the team's nickel corner. The dedicated role will hopefully allow Simmons to excel at the position while not having to worry about coverages for multiple positions.

The Cardinals opted not to pick up the fifth-year option on Simmons' rookie contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Teams needed to make decisions on such options for 2020 first-round picks by Monday, and Simmons now will be playing out the final year of his first deal as a pro in the upcoming campaign. Through three seasons, he's played all over Arizona's defense, with the last two amounting to 204 tackles, 5.5 sacks, three interceptions (one for a touchdown), two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery across 34 games. Expect Simmons' versatility to be utilized again in 2023.

The Cardinals informed Simmons on Monday that his fifth-year team option for 2024 won't be exercised, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Teams needed to make decisions on such options for 2020 first-round picks by Monday, and Simmons now will be playing out the final year of his first deal as a pro in the upcoming campaign. Through three seasons, he's played all over Arizona's defense, producing 204 tackles, 5.5 sacks, three interceptions (one for a touchdown), two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery across 34 games over the last two. It's not yet clear what his role will be under the Cardinals' new coaching staff, however.

Thompson totaled 11 tackles (five solo) against the Buccaneers in the Cardinals' Christmas Day loss.

Simmons tied for the team lead tackles in the contest with Jalen Thompson, as the former finished with his second double-digit tackle performance of the campaign. Simmons has a chance to hit the 100-tackle mark for the second straight season if he can tally 15 stops over Arizona's final two contests.

Simmons recorded eight stops (five solo) Sunday in a loss to the Broncos.

Simmons tied for second on Arizona with eight tackles, a mark he has hit in two of the team's past three games. The third-year linebacker has 74 tackles through 14 games on the campaign, so he'll need to make a big push over the final three weeks of the regular season to match last year's total of 105 stops.

Simmons recorded six tackles (two solo) and an interception in Monday's 27-13 defeat versus New England.

Simmons logged the first of three total interceptions in the game, picking off Patriots quarterback Mac Jones late in the first quarter. This marked the hybrid linebacker's second interception of the season and the fourth of his three-year career. However, he did not end up having that big of an impact Monday, as four of his tackles came after the Cardinals had already fallen down 27-13 in the fourth quarter. Simmons has now accumulated 66 tackles, three sacks and six passes defended over 13 games this season, and he should have a chance to add to all of these totals while facing a Denver offense that will likely be without starting quarterback Russell Wilson (concussion).

Simmons recorded eight solo tackles, including one sack, and a pass defended during Sunday's 25-24 defeat versus the Chargers.

Simmons finished with a team lead in tackles while playing his second-highest share of Arizona's defensive snaps this season. The 6-foot-4 linebacker also logged his third tackle in the last five weeks, bringing down quarterback Justin Herbert late in the fourth quarter for a 13-yard loss on third down. Simmons now 60 tackles, three sacks, five passes defended, one interception and two forced fumbles over 12 games this season, and he should continue to play a do-it-all role moving forward.

Simmons recorded seven solo tackles during Sunday's 27-17 win over the Rams.

Simmons finished as the Cardinals' second-leading tackler behind cornerback Antonio Hamilton. The 6-foot-4 linebacker also logged his fourth pass defended in the past five games, and he now has 49 tackles (39 solo), two sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery on 458 defensive snaps. Simmons will look to continue filling the stat sheet on Monday Night Football against San Francisco.

Simmons totaled eight tackles, including one sack, during Sunday's 31-21 loss to the Seahawks.

Through nine games this season, Simmons has a 13-tackle tally from Week 5 but also five others with three or fewer stops. However, he appears to have settled in over the last three outings, with 18 tackles, two sacks, one pick-six and a forced fumble that he recovered. Simmons' share of the defensive snaps may increase in the short term, as free safety Budda Baker is expected to miss a few weeks due to a high-ankle sprain. If that comes to pass, Simmons is a prime candidate to continue making his mark in box scores moving forward.

Simmons compiled 105 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 17 appearances during the 2021 campaign.

Simmons didn't pace the Cardinals in any statistical category, but he was top five on the team in tackles, tackles for loss (seven), pass defenses (seven), forced fumbles (four) and interceptions (one). Like he was at Clemson, the 2020 first-rounder played all over the formation, logging 596 snaps at inside linebacker, 237 snaps as an edge rusher, 165 snaps at slot corner, 24 as an outside cornerback and finally two at free safety (including Arizona's wild-card game). While Simmons is entrenched at one inside linebacker spot for the Cards, a question remains over his running mate moving forward. Jordan Hicks, who is under contract for 2022, is coming off a third straight 100-tackle season, but the team invested another first-round pick in Zaven Collins back in April.

Simmons (shoulder) was a full practice participant Thursday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Simmons worked as a limited participant Wednesday but progressed to full participation Thursday to avoid the questionable tag for Saturday's game versus Indianapolis. The 23-year-old has missed only a handful of defensive snaps since the first couple weeks of the season for Arizona.

Simmons (shoulder) practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

One day removed from being listed as a non-participant on Tuesday's estimated injury report, Simmons is making progress through a shoulder issue. He's mostly hovered around 5-6 tackles per week, including six this past Sunday at Detroit. With 88 overall on the campaign, the 2020 first-round pick is pushing for his first 100-tackle season with three games to go. First, though, Simmons will have to ditch his designation ahead of Saturday's contest against the Colts.

Simmons tallied eight tackles (four solo) in Sunday's 34-10 loss to the Panthers.

Simmons has seen the second most defensive snaps this season and has become a huge part of the Cardinals' defensive prowess. The 2020 first-round pick has totaled 67 tackles, three forced fumbles, one interception and four deflected passes over the past 10 games. Coming into 2021, Simmons was a wild card for the team as they were unsure where he would be used, but he has made a solid spot for himself as a middle linebacker.

Simmons cleared up any concern Wednesday about his availability for Thursday Night Football versus the Packers, logging a full practice, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

The 23-year-old was dealing with a shoulder injury to open the week, but he appears ready to go for Week 8. Simmons has been a huge part of the Cardinals 7-0 start to the season, leading the team with 47 tackles, while deflecting three passes, intercepting a ball and forcing two fumbles.

Simmons (shoulder) was limited on Monday's practice estimate.

Simmons paced the Cardinals with eight tackles and also had a tackle for loss this past Sunday versus the Texans, giving him a team-leading 47 of the former through seven games. He's been the most consistent member of the team in the category, with a season-low three tackles back in Week 5 against the 49ers and a range of 6-to-9 every other week. Simmons hasn't been involved with a turnover since Week 3 -- he has two forced fumbles and one interception on the campaign -- so he's bound to show up in the box score outside of tackles at some point. First, though, he'll have to get past a shoulder injury in advance of Thursday's game against the Packers.

Simmons recorded six tackles, including one tackle for loss, during Sunday's 37-14 win in Cleveland.

Simmons actually tied for his fourth-lowest tackle tally of the season, but at the same time he logged 100 percent of the Cardinals' defensive snaps for the first time in his career. He's clearly developed into a mainstay next to fellow starting inside linebacker Jordan Hicks in the middle of this unit, and with 39 tackles he's just three behind Hicks for the team lead.

Simmons notched seven tackles during Sunday's 37-20 road victory versus the Rams.

Aside from IDP maven Budda Baker, Simmons has been the most consistent producer of tackles in the Cardinals defense this season, ranging between six and nine through four games. The result has been a tie for the team lead in stops (30) with Baker and fellow inside linebacker Jordan Hicks. Simmons also has made an impact in the turnover department, with one interception and two forced fumbles. Put it all together, and Simmons is living up to his billing as the eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Simmons accrued six tackles and forced a fumble during Sunday's 31-19 victory in Jacksonville.

The tackle total actually marked a season low for Simmons, but he made up for it by forcing a fumble for a second consecutive contest. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Jaguars recovered the ball, but on the very next play Chandler Jones caused Trevor Lawrence to cough it up, and the premier pass rusher recovered it himself. Simmons has settled into a majority share of the team's snaps on defense, logging between 82 and 91 percent in each of the three games to date. The result has been a team-high tackle total of 23, which is one ahead of both Budda Baker and fellow inside linebacker Jordan Hicks.

Simmons recorded eight tackles and forced a fumble during Sunday's 34-33 win against the Vikings.

Through two games, Simmons leads the Cardinals with 17 tackles, which is tied for 16th most in the league. But he's supplemented his tackle total with an interception and now a forced fumble, a call back to his productive career at Clemson. The eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Simmons will be going after his former teammate Trevor Lawrence in Week 3 when Arizona pays a visit to Jacksonville.

Simmons totaled nine tackles (seven solo), two pass defenses and one interception during Sunday's 38-13 win at Tennessee.

Simmons picked up where he left off down the stretch of last season, notching the second-highest tackle total of his career to date. He also recorded his second interception (and third forced turnover overall) in just his 17th appearance as a pro. The biggest change in his second pro campaign was his usage, as he logged a career-best 91-percent share (58 of 64) of the Cardinals' defensive snaps. If Simmons continues to receive such a workload, he could hover about 10 tackles per game all year.

Simmons posted 54 tackles (43 solo, 4.5 for loss), two sacks, two pass defenses, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 16 contests during the 2020 campaign.

The eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft, Simmons arrived in Arizona and found himself in a crowded LB corps. Once his rookie season kicked off, he didn't play more than 30 percent of the defensive plays in any of the first seven games, but after the team's Week 8 bye, he become more of a regular in the defense. Along the way, his versatility allowed him to see time at inside linebacker, outside linebacker, safety and slot cornerback en route to 33.9 percent of the snaps on defense. Depending on how the Cardinals proceed in the offseason, Simmons is a good bet to be a starter in 2021.

Simmons (neck/back) is active for Sunday's game versus the Giants.

Starting linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (ankle) is also active, meaning Simmons likely won't start in Week 14. Simmons has played roughly 40 percent of the defensive snaps per game in a backup role, yielding 28 stops and two sacks over the past five outings.

Simmons (neck/back) is questionable for Sunday's game versus the Giants, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Starting linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (ankle) is also questionable. Simmons could have a starting opportunity on tap if he's able to play and Campbell is sidelined, but their final statuses may not be clear until 90 minutes before the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, when the inactives list is revealed.

Simmons (neck/back) was a non-participant during Thursday's practice session, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

The rookie first-round draft choice fielded 32 defensive snaps during a Week 13 loss to the Rams, collecting five tackles. Simmons was able to practice without restrictions Wednesday, making his Thursday absence notable as a Sunday afternoon tilt against the Giants approaches. A late-week injury is never encouraging, but the Clemson product will have one more opportunity to get on the practice field before a determination is made on his Week 14 availability.

Simmons racked up 10 tackles (nine solo) and one sack during Thursday's 28-21 loss to the Seahawks.

Simmons notched the first sack of his young career during Thursday's divisional loss, while also recording double-digit tackles for the first time. The rookie out of Clemson's opportunity came with veteran De'Vondre Campbell playing limited snaps while nursing a calf injury. Coming off such a strong showing, Simmons may have proven himself worthy of handling increased defensive snaps down the stretch.

Simmons finished with a tackle and an interception in Sunday night's overtime victory over the Seahawks.

Simmons was only on the field for six percent of his team's defensive snaps, but he came through when it counted most, picking off Russell Wilson late in the overtime period. The rookie out of Clemson has recorded 12 tackles over his first seven NFL games.

Coach Kliff Kingsbury relayed Monday that Simmons could log time at safety moving forward, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

The Cardinals haven't utilized their eighth overall pick much, as Simmons has yet to log more than 18 defensive snaps in a game. However, S Budda Baker (thumb) could miss time with surgery on tap, and S Chris Bango exited this past Sunday's loss to Detroit with a hamstring injury. Simmons is uniquely qualified to make the shift from linebacker to safety, as he often lined up all over the defensive formation at Clemson. Even if it takes him some time to adjust, Simmons can lean on his elite athleticism (4.39-second 40, 39-inch vertical) to help make the transition. This would be an intriguing way for Simmons to stay on the field in Week 4's matchup versus the Panthers and potentially beyond.

Simmons had three solo tackles during Sunday's 24-20 win at San Francisco.

The Cardinals invested the eighth pick in the 2020 draft on Simmons, but the rookie didn't pay dividends in his pro debut. In fact, he had a difficult day, getting called for a horse collar tackle on the first play from scrimmage and taking a horrible angle near the start of Raheem Mostert's eventual 76-yard catch and run for a TD on the 49ers' second possession. By game's end, Simmons logged 18 snaps on defense while starting inside linebackers Jordan Hicks and De'Vondre Campbell played all 62. It appears Simmons will be easing into the NFL, but his versatility may allow him to get reps as both a pass rusher and perhaps even at safety due to the ankle injury suffered by Jalen Thompson in Week 1.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said Simmons will play linebacker with the Cardinals, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.

Selected eighth overall in the 2020 draft, Simmons brings a ton of versatility to the pros, with the ability to serve as a run defender, nickel corner and safety. Joseph called Simmons a "problem solver," so he seemingly will get a chance to play all of those roles. Simmons was tabbed as the 2019 Butkus Award winner, when he collected 102 tackles (16 for loss), eight sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 15 games for Clemson.