GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers have their preseason opener against the New York Jets Saturday night at Lambeau Field.

Isaiah Simmons was the eighth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Clemson by the Arizona Cardinals. After three years there, he spent the last two seasons with the New York Giants.

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Isaiah Simmons takes a break between drills during NFL football training camp Friday, July 28, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

He’s looking for a fresh start in Green Bay.

“This is probably where I’ve been appreciated the most,” said Simmons. “I say that not that I haven’t been appreciated other places, but I feel like I’ve been categorized in a lot of other places, including a box that don’t define me.”

Simmons said Green Bay reminds him of Clemson in a positive way.

 Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst noted Simmons’ versatility gifts and versatility.

“Certainly, he’s very gifted,” said Gutekunst. “He was obviously drafted in the first round, and we spent a lot of time on him as he was coming out of college at Clemson. He’s got a very versatile skill set. I think whenever he gets on the field, I think coaches recognize that, and see that. They want to see what he can do there. And again, he’s still a young player.”

In his career, some have seen Simmons as a safety. That versatility has sometimes been a curse.

“I feel like I’m kind of not like a natural build for a linebacker,” said Simmons. “My length allows me to get to people before they can get to me. That helps a lot with playing down on the line, setting edges and whatnot. And then I also got the speed of a DB.”

“We’ve been lining him up in a lot of different positions in regards to on the ball, off the ball, doing a good job of setting edges,” said Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur. “Certainly his athleticism, it’s hard not to see that.”

(AP Photo)

Also highly regarded for his special teams play, Simmons said he blocks out what others say about him.

“Everybody has something to say of the different positions I’ve played,” said Simmons. “Some people think I ain’t tough. Some people think I don’t want to be physical. Some people say I can’t cover. Everybody got something to say, but I don’t really care what nobody got to say. At the end of the day, I know who I am and I play for an audience of one, and that’s the Lord, so I ain’t too worried about what nobody got to say. I’m unapologetically me, so I ain’t ever been worried about what anybody got to say about me.”