Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers got a close look at a former top 10 pick in the NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted veteran linebacker Isaiah Simmons for a try out on Wednesday, it was announced.
Simmons, 27, was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, but he has never lived up to the high expectations put on him.
The former All-American spent the first three years of his NFL career in Arizona, where he racked up 258 tackles, 7.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 16 passes defensed, four interceptions and one touchdown from 2020-22.
Simmons was then traded to the New York Giants in 2023 for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, he never came close to putting up the numbers he did with the Cardinals.
Over the next two seasons in New York, Simmons recorded 71 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, five passes defensed, one interception and one touchdown.
Simmons then signed with the Green Bay Packers this offseason, but he was released as part of the team’s final roster cuts in August and has been searching for his new home ever since.
The Steelers do offer an intriguing option for the former top 10 pick, but he would be joining an already fairly crowded inside linebacker room.
Pittsburgh already has Patrick Queen, Cole Holcomb, Payton Wilson and rookie Carson Bruener on its active roster. Veteran Malik Harrison also continues to recover from his injury on injured reserve.
Simmons would likely be brought in as an addition to the team’s practice squad and then prove he deserves a spot on the 53-man roster.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, though. On Wednesday, the Steelers also signed inside linebacker Jacoby Windmon to their practice squad.
That doesn’t mean Simmons won’t join Pittsburgh at some point, but he seems to be the odd man out after the team’s latest round of try outs.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Try Out Former Top 10 Pick
