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Ex-first round NFL draft pick could be factor for Panthers against Seahawks

The Panthers placed a key piece of their improved defense on injured reserve. Could a former top 10 pick turned journeyman make an impact vs. the Seahawks?
Russell Baxter|
Jul 23, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Carolina Panthers helmet sits on the ground at training camp. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Jul 23, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Carolina Panthers helmet sits on the ground at training camp. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

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He was the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals. University of Clemson defender Isaiah Simmons was highly regarded as a top prospect who could line up at various spots. In 51 games (including a playoff tilt in 2021) in three seasons at linebacker in the desert, he totaled four interceptions (1 TD), two fumble recoveries, and 7.5 sacks. Not exactly awe-inspiring numbers, to say the least.

Not only did the Cardinals not pick up Simmons’s fifth-year option, the franchise dealt him to the New York Giants in the summer of 2023. He spent two seasons with Big Blue at safety and despite playing in every game (5 starts), he made very little impact.

Simmons signed with the Packers in April, but was released in August. He was signed to the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad last month, and is once again back on the active roster as of Saturday due to the loss of one of Carolina's young and promising defenders.

So what can be expected from the six-year pro if he takes the field on Sunday afternoon against the visiting Seattle Seahawks? Perhaps the unexpected, at least when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. Simmons has already played in three games for Dave Canales’s club, and has logged only one defensive play. Meanwhile, he’s been on the field for 50 special teams’ snaps.

With Wallace out, Claudin Cherelus gets the start next to Christian Rozeboom of the second straight week. The Panthers’ defense will be dealing with an improving Seattle offense that has stressed the ground game the second half of the season. Seeing Simmons on defense would likely be a surprise. Of course, Carolina’s kick coverage units could use all the help against Seahawks’ star return artist Rashid Shaheed, who has already taken back a kickoff and punt for scores this season for Mike Macdonald’s team.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.