Elijah Simmons is a Monster

[cardinals2025]

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Elijah Simmons is a monster. If we have injuries on the DL he could make the team and if not, hopefully stays with the practice squad.

Undrafted FA is 6 1' 334.

Maybe could make the team as 3rd or 4th string DT.

Calais said in his recent press conference that he has been getting plenty of snaps with the 1s.

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[Harry]

I still remain doubtful the Cards can figure a way to keep this guy. Once he an anchors he is indeed hard to move. The problem is anchoring or moving forward a short distance is about all he can do. Sure he’d be useful at the goal line or third and short, but can you carry a guy for just those two situations. He was a running back in high school and might slim down enough to become more mobile, but that would take time and work. He has a good motor and is teachable, but holding him, even on the practice squad seems hard to imagine.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

A monster, which every team in the NFL decided not to draft.

 

[Zeno]

A monster, which every team in the NFL decided not to draft.

There are guys like this every year though so I wouldn't write it off that teams graded him wrong. Not that he is "that guy" this year, just saying it can happen.

I just don't see how he makes the team though with what the Cards have invested in that room. Practice squad is his only chance IMO.

 

[oaken1]

I still remain doubtful the Cards can figure a way to keep this guy. Once he an anchors he is indeed hard to move. The problem is anchoring or moving forward a short distance is about all he can do. Sure he’d be useful at the goal line or third and short, but can you carry a guy for just those two situations. He was a running back in high school and might slim down enough to become more mobile, but that would take time and work. He has a good motor and is teachable, but holding him, even on the practice squad seems hard to imagine.

While I agree he picked the wrong squad to sign with,...you know as well as I do that the NFL is cyclical. Teams shift towards the pass and defenses get smaller and faster, then offense shift towards the run to compensate and defenses then get bigger to adjust. Right now teams are shifting more towards the power run game. We are, Seattle is, and a few teams in the east as well...if thats a trend thats going to continue then teams will find a spot for a two down NT...and with all the hybrid built guys we have it may not hurt to have a specialist...especially if we may have to face the tush push in the playoffs at some point. You can bet JG would want to win that game more than anything.
Both Nichols and Jones are a bit light in the pants to be NT's at roughly 310 each...... But Tomlinson is 325, which shows the team recognizes a need to get heavier in the middle.
with all the special teams "aces" we have signed over the last couple seasons at other positions its possible one of them get cut to free up a roster spot for a specialist who fills a specific need....especially when you have weaker untested ILB's that you really need to keep clean for them to be effective

 

[Chopper0080]

it’s early. I’m happy he is getting positive reviews. Much better than the alternative. He has the size. Up to him to make it tough to cut him. Basically needs to beat out Nichols or Collier.

 

[cardinals2025]

A monster, which every team in the NFL decided not to draft.

Would you rather not have Starling Thomas right now?

The guy we stole off SF practice squad, who was undrafted.

Every once in a while a player like that makes a difference.

You are literally mocking the coaching staff for doing something that has worked out before lol

 

[cardinals2025]

I still remain doubtful the Cards can figure a way to keep this guy. Once he an anchors he is indeed hard to move. The problem is anchoring or moving forward a short distance is about all he can do. Sure he’d be useful at the goal line or third and short, but can you carry a guy for just those two situations. He was a running back in high school and might slim down enough to become more mobile, but that would take time and work. He has a good motor and is teachable, but holding him, even on the practice squad seems hard to imagine.

He definitely has the odds stacked against him any way you look at it. But it is just an interesting story especially after Starling Thomas being undrafted who w we took from SF practice squad.

I wouldn’t want someone who has been productive like Dante Stills not to get snaps in favor of someone unproven like Simmons.

But then you look at someone like PJ Mustipher who is on the depth chart who I have heard nothing about so far and wonder if his chances are even worse than Simmons.

 

[cardinals2025]

While I agree he picked the wrong squad to sign with,...you know as well as I do that the NFL is cyclical. Teams shift towards the pass and defenses get smaller and faster, then offense shift towards the run to compensate and defenses then get bigger to adjust. Right now teams are shifting more towards the power run game. We are, Seattle is, and a few teams in the east as well...if thats a trend thats going to continue then teams will find a spot for a two down NT...and with all the hybrid built guys we have it may not hurt to have a specialist...especially if we may have to face the tush push in the playoffs at some point. You can bet JG would want to win that game more than anything.
Both Nichols and Jones are a bit light in the pants to be NT's at roughly 310 each...... But Tomlinson is 325, which shows the team recognizes a need to get heavier in the middle.
with all the special teams "aces" we have signed over the last couple seasons at other positions its possible one of them get cut to free up a roster spot for a specialist who fills a specific need....especially when you have weaker untested ILB's that you really need to keep clean for them to be effective

I also think our defense has a very specific 4th down package. Where you will see players like Rabbit, Dante Stills and Owen Pappoe (who is excellent in man coverage). So like when Gannon says Elijah Jones is practicing well and is getting snaps with the 4th down situations, its pretty meaningful. I am
sure on 4th and 3 last year, we sometimes had 8 players who could cover man to man which really disguises who is blitzing and who isn’t. It is the type of situation where the offense is looking for a quick hitter. Budda was often lurking as a LB or covering and shutting down someone like Cooper Kupp which he did multiple times on 4th down in week 2.

Like Dante Stills made a huge stop on 4th and 1 vs DET last season. So that just makes it harder to see Simmons making the team.

Then with Calais, if he is going to only have 30-35 snaps, you want him in for run stuffing on that play.

Makes me want to go back and look to see who was actually on the field on 4th down with this defense last year. Certain situations where you want to gamble with your young athletic players to make plays on short yardage 4th down vs relying on experience. There is a reason why Rallis red zone defense is so good.

 

[Chopper0080]

I still remain doubtful the Cards can figure a way to keep this guy. Once he an anchors he is indeed hard to move. The problem is anchoring or moving forward a short distance is about all he can do. Sure he’d be useful at the goal line or third and short, but can you carry a guy for just those two situations. He was a running back in high school and might slim down enough to become more mobile, but that would take time and work. He has a good motor and is teachable, but holding him, even on the practice squad seems hard to imagine.

IMO, you can make this statement for most UDFAs. Maybe it is a little more difficult for Simmons because of the players the Cardinals have added along the DL, but when you look at the role Simmons would fill, the competition is a little less overwhelming. I am unclear if you think he doesn't make sense for the PS because he will get picked up or he is not talented enough.

 

[Harry]

IMO, you can make this statement for most UDFAs. Maybe it is a little more difficult for Simmons because of the players the Cardinals have added along the DL, but when you look at the role Simmons would fill, the competition is a little overwhelming. I am unclear if you think he doesn't make sense for the PS because he will get picked up or he is not talented enough.

Don’t like him for the PS because of his limited role. Tenn wanted him to condition himself for a broader role but that didn’t happen. He plays hard but can he exercise self discipline? History is against him.

 

[BritCard]

This is Walter type BS hype. Dude was an extremely mediocre college player that played 55 games in 6 years in college and had 0.5 sacks, 8 TFL's and 22 solo tackles. He never played more than 28% of snaps.

If he makes the 53 were in trouble.

 

[Chopper0080]

This is Walter type BS hype. Dude was an extremely mediocre college player that played 55 games in 6 years in college and had 0.5 sacks, 8 TFL's and 22 solo tackles. He never played more than 28% of snaps.

If he makes the 53 were in trouble.

Did Walter force Calais Campbell to say the things he said about Simmons? I feel that is where this newest thread is generating from.

 

[kerouac9]

Did Walter force Calais Campbell to say the things he said about Simmons? I feel that is where this newest thread is generating from.

This is a very disciplined group of guys. If you ask Calais about someone, he's gonna say something nice.

 

[Goldfield]

I’m just enjoying that we keep bringing in guys that are worth talking about. Big change from Kiem.

 

[Gandhi]

Would you rather not have Starling Thomas right now?

The guy we stole off SF practice squad, who was undrafted.

Every once in a while a player like that makes a difference.

You are literally mocking the coaching staff for doing something that has worked out before lol

Evan Brown was an UDFA. Joey Blount was undrafted (great special teamer). Greg Dortch too.

Writing off Simmons is - at best - a little ignorant.

 

[BACH]

Evan Brown was an UDFA. Joey Blount was undrafted (great special teamer). Greg Dortch too.

Writing off Simmons is - at best - a little ignorant.

Hard to compare IMO and do not agree.

1. Simmons is extremely limited in his fit - basicly a 0/1 and zero ability to play elsewhere.
2. He's an undrafted NT in a very full room.

The only fit I could see him having a role is practice squad for a year and then replace Justin Jones to back-up Tomlinson if he develops.

I do like the planning aspect from Monti if this is the plan.

 

[Gandhi]

1. Simmons is extremely limited in his fit - basicly a 0/1 and zero ability to play elsewhere.
2. He's an undrafted NT in a very full room.

The only fit I could see him having a role is practice squad for a year and then replace Justin Jones to back-up Tomlinson if he develops.

I do like the planning aspect from Monti if this is the plan.

I think the post I mentioned was about how Starling Thomas got playing time, even though he went undrafted. Not if a player is a good fit, but if he is drafted or not.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Writing off Simmons is - at best - a little ignorant.

LOL, nobody is saying that there is ZERO chance of him ever succeeding, but the odds are vanishingly slim. Calling an undrafted college non-performer a monster is pretty silly.

 

[BirdGangThing]

great thread title tho - is he dominating the field or have thousands of bottles of lube?

 

[oaken1]

great thread title tho - is he dominating the field or have thousands of bottles of lube?

Dude?? with the diddy reference?? OW

 

[kerouac9]

great thread title tho - is he dominating the field or have thousands of bottles of lube?

Sasquatch, Godzilla, King Kong, Loch Ness
Goblin, ghoul, a zombie with no conscience
Question: what do all these things have in common?
Everybody knows

#IYKYK

 

[unseenaz]

Sasquatch, Godzilla, King Kong, Loch Ness
Goblin, ghoul, a zombie with no conscience
Question: what do all these things have in common?
Everybody knows

#IYKYK

That’s just a list of cryptids K9 spends his weekends looking for in the woods.

 

[oaken1]

Sasquatch, Godzilla, King Kong, Loch Ness
Goblin, ghoul, a zombie with no conscience
Question: what do all these things have in common?
Everybody knows

#IYKYK

Sasquatch and zombies are real man...
if you know, you know.

 

[cardinals2025]

Hard to compare IMO and do not agree.

1. Simmons is extremely limited in his fit - basicly a 0/1 and zero ability to play elsewhere.
2. He's an undrafted NT in a very full room.

The only fit I could see him having a role is practice squad for a year and then replace Justin Jones to back-up Tomlinson if he develops.

I do like the planning aspect from Monti if this is the plan.

Yeah similar to the Michael Carter situation last year, although I still don't know how he wasn't picked up off our practice squad. He is a borderline RB 1 for some teams.

I like the dedication to making sure our depth is covered especially when our entire DL was injured within the first few weeks last year.