Isaiah Simmons Wouldn't Play LB for Steelers

PITTSBURGH -- What if the Pittsburgh Steelers were to trade for Arizona Cardinals defender Isaiah Simmons? Would he come to Pittsburgh with intentions of starting at inside linebacker or edge? Would he drop back to safety? Could they move him around?

The answer is likely none of the above. Simmons still doesn't have a position in Arizona, but he's trying to figure it out. At 24-years-old, he's got plenty of potential in the NFL, but so far, it hasn't come to fruition.

If he ends up in Pittsburgh, he'd be viewed as a chess piece, but his primary position wouldn't be the linebacker or safety role many believe it would be.

Instead, it'd likely be nickelback.

Speaking with Arizona Cardinals reporter Donnie Druin, the early indication for Simmons this season is that he's going to play the slot corner role.

His 6'4, 238-pound frame, with 33-inch arms, leaves him bigger and lengthier than most inside cornerbacks. Add 4.38 speed to the mix, and he's the ideal candidate to be a big-bodied nickelback on any NFL team.

"Early in OTAs, he's practicing with the defensive secondary, so he's probably going to be that nickelback role again," Druin told All Steelers. "I really do not know where he fits on an NFL field. If anywhere, you're going to keep him in the secondary just because of his speed, his length, and his range."

Druin says as of now, the likelihood of a trade happening is slim, but Simmons didn't have his fifth-year option picked up and was benched at the end of last season. So, if the Cardinals aren't a believer by the end of the summer, he could be moved.

As for compensation, Druin believes a third-round pick could get the conversation started.

For the Steelers, they're currently working with Chandon Sullivan and Duke Dawson as the nickelback position. Sullivan was signed during the NFL Draft and has 30 games of starting experience over the last three years. Dawson, however, has spent the last few seasons on practice squads.

If Sullivan or Dawson doesn't stand out by the end of camp this summer, maybe the Steelers are enticed to make a trade. And if that trade is for Simmons, the 24-year-old could be viewed as the next high-reward (with some risk) slot corner in Pittsburgh.

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