The new head coach said last month that he had yet to have a sit-down meeting with Simmons about the rep plan. Asked about his expectations for how that conversation will go, Simmons said he’s out to prove he can handle the workload.
“I want to have that mindset of, ‘Nah, coach, I could go for more,’ or whatever it may be,” Simmons said during minicamp. “With the way I train, the way I try to get my body ready, I want to show him that maybe I could go six plays instead of the four that they’re talking about.”
Simmons said he’s in the best shape of his career after fixing an elbow issue that had plagued him the past several seasons.
In Saleh’s scheme, Simmons will be attacking more readily than the “two-gap” defenses he played in before — which required holding the double team at the line of scrimmage. Saleh wants his DTs to penetrate, split doubles and be disruptive in the backfield. The plan should unleash Simmons.
Even in schemes that don’t exactly put defensive tackles in prime positions to make plays, Simmons was a disruptor. Per Next Gen Stats, Simmons generated 60 QB pressures and a 13.9% pressure rate with 11 sacks last season, all of which were league-highs for a DT. He also led all interior defenders with 26 quick pressures and a 6% quick QB pressure rate.
Now project those figures into a defense that implores him to get into the backfield. Even taking away a few reps to keep him fresher shouldn’t hold back that production in 2026. Simmons has DPOY upside in Saleh’s scheme.
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