Just two days following the conclusion of the NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers continue to add athletic upside to the team. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Packers are signing former New York Giant and Arizona Cardinal Isaiah Simmons to a one-year deal following a visit.
Simmons, a former first-round selection for the Cardinals in 2020, was drafted eighth overall out of Clemson. Starting as a linebacker who was meant to bring incredible versatility and size to their defense, his tweener status wouldn’t develop into a strength, and he was released after three seasons.
The Giants picked him up and chose to develop him at one position, playing him as a safety in their defense over the past two seasons. A defined role provided Simmons some stability, but even following the departure of Xavier McKinney, Simmons didn’t crack a starting role.
While only starting five games over the past two years on defense for New York, he has found success by earning a consistent role on special teams. His combination of size and speed helped him make a difference on coverage duties, winning NFC special teams player of the week against the Seattle Seahawks last season, blocking a potential game-tying kick that resulted in a touchdown.
That makes this signing more of a special-teams addition than anything, but it’ll be interesting to see where defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley deploys him on defense. The Packers love speed at linebacker, so a move back to his original position isn’t out of the question. However, they could reunite him with Xavier McKinney in a support role at safety. It’s also possible that they use his experience to cover multiple backup spots while on special team duties, making him a key depth piece.
Regardless of where he ends up, this was a savvy move to improve the special teams while adding an elite athlete to the defensive depth.
Related: How the Packers Feel About Their Positional Units Following the Draft
Related: Tensions Linger Between the Packers and Jaire Alexander Ahead of the Draft
Just two days following the conclusion of the NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers continue to add athletic upside to the team. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Packers are signing former New York Giant and Arizona Cardinal Isaiah Simmons to a one-year deal following a visit.
Simmons, a former first-round selection for the Cardinals in 2020, was drafted eighth overall out of Clemson. Starting as a linebacker who was meant to bring incredible versatility and size to their defense, his tweener status wouldn’t develop into a strength, and he was released after three seasons.
The Giants picked him up and chose to develop him at one position, playing him as a safety in their defense over the past two seasons. A defined role provided Simmons some stability, but even following the departure of Xavier McKinney, Simmons didn’t crack a starting role.
While only starting five games over the past two years on defense for New York, he has found success by earning a consistent role on special teams. His combination of size and speed helped him make a difference on coverage duties, winning NFC special teams player of the week against the Seattle Seahawks last season, blocking a potential game-tying kick that resulted in a touchdown.
That makes this signing more of a special-teams addition than anything, but it’ll be interesting to see where defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley deploys him on defense. The Packers love speed at linebacker, so a move back to his original position isn’t out of the question. However, they could reunite him with Xavier McKinney in a support role at safety. It’s also possible that they use his experience to cover multiple backup spots while on special team duties, making him a key depth piece.
Regardless of where he ends up, this was a savvy move to improve the special teams while adding an elite athlete to the defensive depth.
Related: How the Packers Feel About Their Positional Units Following the Draft
Related: Tensions Linger Between the Packers and Jaire Alexander Ahead of the Draft
