Cowboys Eyed as a Top Team for Speedy Former $20 Million 42-Game Starter
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The Dallas Cowboys are being pressed to make a run at Isaiah Simmons.
The Dallas Cowboys revamped the team’s defense in several last-minute deals at the NFL trade deadline. Dallas could also look to veteran free agents to add even more depth to the unit. Dallas has just a 4% chance to make the NFL playoffs heading into the team’s Week 11 primetime matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, per The Athletic.
This did not stop owner Jerry Jones from making significant moves at the NFL deadline, including acquiring star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox identified the top available free agents and each player’s best landing spot. The analyst is pushing the Cowboys as well as the Baltimore Ravens to make a run at former top-10 pick Isaiah Simmons.
“Isaiah Simmons was a first-round pick in the 2020 draft, but he has struggled to find a true position in the NFL,” Knox wrote in a November 7, 2025, story titled, “Best Team Fits for Top 10 Bargain Free Agents After Trade Deadline.” “A hybrid defender at Clemson, NFL teams have tried him at both linebacker and safety but have never seen truly impressive results at either position.
“The Green Bay Packers gave Simmons a shot this offseason, but he was released in late August and failed to sign with a practice squad. … Simmons would be a logical gamble for a team that regularly uses multiple safeties in a rotation or for one that could use an athletic run defender at the second level.”
Potential Cowboys Target Isaiah Simmons Is a Former Top-10 Pick in the 2020 NFL Draft
After a standout college football career at Clemson, Simmons was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Simmons inked a four-year, $20.6 million rookie contract with the Cardinals.
The defender also had a short stint with the New York Giants. Most recently, Simmons signed with the Green Bay Packers, but the linebacker was unable to make the final roster and was released ahead of Week 1.
Simmons’ NFL career did not quite live up to the hype as teams struggled to know exactly where to play the versatile defender. The former highly touted prospect spent time at both linebacker and safety. It just so happens Dallas could use help at both positions.
Isaiah Simmons Started 42 Games With the Cardinals & Giants
During his five NFL seasons, Simmons started 42 games for the Cardinals and Giants. Simmons’ best statistical season came in 2022 when the veteran posted 99 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions in 17 appearances for the Cardinals, including 13 starts.
The defender notched an impressive 4.39-second time in the 40-yard dash ahead of the 2020 draft. Additionally, the 6-foot-4, 238-pound defender posted a 39″ vertical. Heading into the draft, analyst Matt Miller (now with ESPN) described Simmons as a “unicorn.”
“Simmons is a true unicorn as a prospect,” Miller wrote for Bleacher Report in April 2020. “Evaluators are stumped on who to compare him to or even what his ceiling will be.
“A smart defensive coordinator will simply look at the matchup each week and let Simmons erase the opposing offense’s biggest threat. He’s a rare game-changer at the linebacker position and should be allowed to play multiple roles and alignments within a single game. If Simmons doesn’t succeed in the NFL, it will be one of the biggest surprises of the 2020 draft class.”
NFL Suspends Entire Officiating Crew After Ignoring Brutal Face Mask on RB Travis Homer by Redmond in Bears’ Thrilling Win
New York, November 18, 2025 — The NFL has issued one of its strongest disciplinary actions in years, suspending the
The controversial moment occurred at
Harrison Redmond grab his facemask and yank it violently twice. Despite standing just two yards away, referee
FOX analyst Tom Brady reacted instantly, calling it “the clearest facemask of the year” and expressing disbelief that the officials missed it. The NFL Command Center later confirmed the play should have resulted in
15 yards and an automatic first down.
Instead, the Bears settled for a field goal, giving the Vikings enough momentum to rally and tie the game 17–17. Chicago survived only after Cairo Santos drilled a 48-yard field goal as time expired, sealing a 19–17 win.
On Monday morning, the NFL announced that all seven members of officiating crew #5 would be suspended for Weeks 12 and 13. This marks one of the few times in recent history the league has suspended an entire crew for performance failures.
Umpire Carl Paganelli received the harshest criticism internally, with the league citing a “perfect line of sight” that was inexplicably ignored. Referee Tra Blake will also lose roughly $15,000 from a forfeited game check.
Executive VP of Officiating Perry Fewell called the mistake “an unacceptable failure” and ordered the crew into emergency training focused on identifying “clear and obvious fouls.” This is the third reprimand
for Blake’s crew this season.
Social media exploded within minutes of the incident, with #RefsRobbedBears and #BearsTax trending No. 1 nationwide. A clip posted by Jordan Schultz quickly passed three million views, intensifying accusations that officials consistently work against Chicago.
Bears legend Mike Ditka blasted the officiating on 670 The Score, calling the missed facemask “a crime in broad daylight” and praising the NFL for what he described as “delayed justice.”
Head coach Ben Johnson echoed the outrage. He told reporters the mistake was “not just a miss call” but “a direct injustice to Travis and the entire team.” Johnson said the Bears will file a formal report but emphasized the team is now focused on Week 12 versus the Lions.
On the Vikings’ side, head coach Kevin O’Connell remained professional, saying only that the team respected the league’s decision. QB J.J. McCarthy was more blunt, posting on X: “Refs have to be better. This one hurts.”
The incident has reignited calls to make facemask penalties reviewable, similar to roughing the passer. Pro Football Reference data shows the Bears rank second in the NFL in missed penalties this season, adding fuel to the “Bears tax” narrative among fans.
Despite the controversy, Chicago moves to 6–4, continuing its resurgence under Ben Johnson. Their upcoming rivalry matchup against Green Bay now carries even more intensity — and Bears fans are hoping the officials will be
far less “blind” this time.
