Isaiah Simmons had sky-high expectations when he was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, but he has not lived up to those lofty expectations in his career so far.

The Cardinals selected Isaiah Simmons hoping he could be a star all over the defense as a hybrid type of player who plays linebacker and safety. He has played mostly linebacker in the NFL, but he will take on a deeper safety position under new Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, and he said he fells more comfortable in the role.

“There were just certain circumstances that led to me playing certain positions last year as opposed to maybe doing what was best for me,” Simmons said, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “Now doing what's best for me is actually best for the team, so I think now why it looks like I feel a little more free, more like myself in my game.”

There were questions about where Simmons would be best fit at the NFL level, and the Cardinals could not figure that out over the last few years. As a result, the Cardinals declined his fifth-year option for the 2024 season, so Simmons will have motivation to play well and earn a new contract next offseason. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon hopes to unlock him this season.

The Cardinals do not have many expectations from the prognosticators, them and Simmons look to surprise people in Gannon's first season as head coach of the team.