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<\/p>\nOn Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers announced the signing of linebacker Isaiah Simmons.<\/p>\n
Simmons, a former 8th-overall draft selection, spent his last two seasons with the New York Giants and possesses the versatility to play multiple different positions on defense.<\/p>\n
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He now joins one of the league\u2019s youngest and most talented linebacker groups in Green Bay.<\/p>\n
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Former New York Giants linebacker\/safety Isaiah Simmons\u00a9 Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
When asked about his plan for Simmons, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur sounded very optimistic and excited about the team’s newest addition.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust to get him in here, obviously he\u2019s going to be in the linebacker room,\u201d LaFleur said on Friday. \u201cHe\u2019s got a lot of versatility to do a lot of different things. I know in New York, when we went against them a couple of years ago, specifically situationally, he was all over the place. So I think that just tells you his mental capacity in order to understand defensive schemes, and we had a lot of great conversations with him leading up to him signing with us.”<\/p>\n
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Simmons is on a one-year contract with a cap hit of just $1,197,500, making this a very low-risk, high-reward move for general manager Brian Gutekunst and the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we have a vision for him and we\u2019ll just watch and see how that progresses over time,” LaFleur added.<\/p>\n
Related: The Packers Pick Up Fifth-Year Option of Former First-Round Pick<\/a><\/p>\n Over his two seasons with the Giants, Simmons started just five games while primarily being a rotational backup and special-teams player.<\/p>\n During Simmons’s first season in New York, he played 33% of defensive snaps. He finished with a 68.9 PFF grade and ranked as a top-10 coverage linebacker in the league.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n In 2024, the 26-year-old had his least productive season of his career, starting one game and playing just 17% of all team defensive snaps. Simmons finished the season with a 45.6 overall\u00a0PFF<\/a>\u00a0grade, which ranked as 170th out of 189 eligible linebackers.<\/p>\n Simmons is capable of playing as an off-ball linebacker, edge rusher, nickel, and safety, giving Green Bay even more versatility on the defensive side of the ball.<\/p>\n If the Clemson product can get back to his level of play prior to last season, this deal will age incredibly well for the Packers.<\/p>\n The former Giant is now reunited in Green Bay with a previous teammate.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Yes, I asked X (Xavier McKinney) and X gave him two thumbs up,\u201d LaFleur added. \u201cHe said he\u2019s a great teammate and that\u2019s all I needed to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n McKinney, a previous team captain with the Giants, played one season with Simmons in New York before he signed with the Packers. The All-Pro safety vouching for this signing is a great sign.<\/p>\n Simmons will be added to a versatile and explosive linebacker room that already consists of Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, and Isaiah McDuffie.<\/p>\n A defense that allowed the sixth-fewest points per game (19.9) last season has the potential to become even better under second-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Related: Newly Drafted Packers WR Matthew Golden Described by GM With These Two Words<\/a><\/p>\n