A little more than five years ago, debates were raging among the Carolina Panthers' fan base over whether the team should select Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons or Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown at No. 7 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. Now, fate has brought them together in Charlotte.
It's funny how life works out sometimes. But for the Panthers, it's a sign of how thin on the ground they are on defense heading into the business end of the campaign.
With the Panthers facing significant injury problems at the defensive second level, general manager Dan Morgan took drastic action. Simmons' short NFL exile ended when Carolina signed him to its practice squad, sparking massive intrigue among fans who had seen him become a college superstar with the Tigers.
Carolina Panthers could have the best of both worlds if Isaiah Simmons thrives
Simmons was an athletic powerhouse, versatile in scheme, and immensely explosive. It's not hard to see why he was such a highly coveted prospect at the time. Fortunately for the Panthers, then-general manager Marty Hurney, despite his faults, knew what a first-round pick looked like.
Brown became a Pro Bowler and one of the league's most feared interior defensive linemen. Things haven't gone nearly as well for Simmons, who went one pick later at No. 8 to the Arizona Cardinals and never reached his billing.
After spending time with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, bouncing between linebacker and safety, he has been out of work since being released during final cuts. The Panthers are giving him a shot, and head coach Dave Canales revealed that the plan is to see what he can do at the second level and the backend before concluding where he is best suited.
It might come to nothing. Simmons probably isn't in genuine football shape, having been out of the game for a few months. Still, he's got the size and physical gifts that would fit well into Ejiro Evero's scheme. And if Morgan, a former prolific linebacker in his playing days, thinks there could be something to salvage, fans should trust his judgment.
The Panthers made the correct choice in 2020. Brown's dominance is both overwhelming and impressive. But if the coaching staff can provide the spark that finally ignites Simmons' career to life at long last, Carolina will have the best of both worlds.
It's not costing the Panthers much to find out, one way or another, whether Simmons has something to offer. And stranger things have happened in this crazy business.