The Cardinals might have unearthed a defensive gem after a jaw-dropping performance against the 49ers that turned heads across the league.QQ
HC Jonathan Gannon may need to give the rookie more playing time, even when Wilson is healthy.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Cardinals’ defense found itself without middle linebacker and team captain Mack Wilson Sr. for the second straight week, as the team placed him on injured reserve with a rib injury.
Losing Wilson obviously hurts, but it paved the way for a rookie to prove his worth to the team. For the second straight week, Cody Simon led the team in tackles with 12 (4 solo, 8 assisted) against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Simon, 23, was selected in the fourth round (pick No. 115) in the past year’s draft, and he started the year as the No. 3 linebacker on the roster. But with the way he’s been playing in the absence of Mack Wilson, it is blatantly obvious that head coach Jonathan Gannon may need to stick with the youngster, as he has seen the field very well while also being a tackling machine.
Playing alongside Akeem Davis-Gaither in the middle, the two combined for 16 tackles this week, and the hope is that the two improve as a tandem for the next three weeks while Wilson continues to recover.
Over his last two starts, Simon has racked up 19 tackles (9.5 per game) and has been absolutely phenomenal in coverage, earning a Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 89.8, which is sixth among all interior linebackers. Obviously, you have to filter out the snap count, but still incredible from the former Ohio State Buckeye.
So far in 2025, Simon has racked up 27 tackles in nine games, which goes to show how effective he could be if he were to take over the starting job immediately.
Sure, the Cardinals got blown out by the 49ers at home, but Jonathan Gannon should know that the future at the position may already be on his team. He will definitely have a difficult decision to make on whether or not he continues to roll with Cody Simon in the starting 11.
