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.”
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.
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.”
Washington Commanders legend Joe Theismann has never been shy about speaking his mind. That is, until now. Amid reports that President Donald Trump has privately pushed for the team’s upcoming stadium to bear his name, Theismann’s measured response has drawn as much attention as any statement could. Fans know Theismann for his candid takes on the franchise’s direction and identity. Now, the Super Bowl-winning quarterback has chosen his words carefully. This reveals a nuanced tension between nostalgia, politics, and football tradition.
In light of reports that Trump has lobbied to attach his name to the new Commanders stadium, Theismann’s recent response has been deliberately restrained.
When questioned about the potential of Trump’s name being on the stadium, Theismann didn’t say much.
“President Trump is our president. Whatever happens going forward is between the ownership of the Commanders and the president, and it’s going to be what it’s going to be,” according to him.
Sure, he publicly applauded the team’s return to the RFK Stadium site. He even called it a “nostalgic move that connects fans to the city’s history.” Noticeably, though, he did not engage in any elaborate explanation of the controversial naming proposal. This speaks volumes about his approach when it comes to mixing politics with the sport.
Theismann’s comments suggest that naming decisions belong to ownership, not political figures. The focus should remain on football and the fan experience rather than ideological battles.
Still, that positioning is strategic. Theismann understands the stakes. Wading into the “Donald J. Trump Dome” debate risks alienating a deeply divided fanbase. It’s a stark contrast to his outspokenness during the team’s 2022 name change. That’s when he criticized the rebranding from “Redskins” to “Commanders.” Now, Theismann is choosing diplomacy over defiance. This reflects both a veteran’s wisdom and an awareness of how politically charged the NFL landscape has become.
By invoking nostalgia over confrontation, Theismann sidesteps a volatile political minefield while quietly signaling unease. His subtext is clear. Washington’s legacy should honor its players and fans, not politics. In an era where the lines between sports and ideology blur more than ever, Theismann’s restraint is quite a revealing, if not sobering, statement.