The Arizona Cardinals are not picking up the fifth-year option for former No. 8 overall pick Isaiah Simmons, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Isaiah Simmons was drafted out of Clemson in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cardinals, and he was billed as a hybrid between a linebacker and a safety. He has played linebacker for the Cardinals, and has not made the impact that was expected when he came out of college.

It makes sense that the Cardinals would decline the fifth-year option for Simmons. He would be guaranteed just under $13 million in the 2024 season if they had picked up his fifth-year option, according to Spotrac.

The Cardinals are in the first offseason with a new regime as well, with general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon taking over. Jonathan Gannon is a defensive head coach, so maybe Simmons can transform into the player he was expected to be in a new defensive scheme.

From Monti Ossenfort's perspective, not committing close to $13 million to a player that he did not draft himself shows he is looking out for the long-term financial flexibility of the team.

Barring a trade, Simmons will try to put together a strong season with the Cardinals to earn a good contract after the 2023 season, when he will be a free agent.

It will be intriguing to see whether Simmons can carve out a role in Jonathan Gannon's defense, and whether he does enough to convince Monti Ossenfort to bring him back after the 2023 season.