GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) \u2014 Nick Niemann wasted no time finding a new team, with the linebacker and special teams standout reporting to the Green Bay Packers one day after the Houston Texans cut him.<\/p>\n
Niemann said he caught a 5 a.m. flight Wednesday to begin practicing with the Packers.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThat\u2019s how it goes around the league,\u201d Niemann said. \u201cYou get a new opportunity, you\u2019ve just got to dive in and learn as you go and hit the ground running.\u201d<\/p>\n
Green Bay made room for Niemann by releasing cornerback Micah Robinson, a seventh-round pick from Tulane.<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old Niemann should provide a boost to the Packers\u2019 special-teams units.<\/p>\n
He played 64 games over the four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, who selected him out of Iowa in the sixth round of the 2021 draft. Niemann led the Chargers in special teams tackles in 2021 (14) and 2024 (11) and tied for the team lead in 2023 (eight).<\/p>\n
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Niemann described to reporters what makes a good special-teams player.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust having a good feel and having a trigger, being physical, playing fast and being disruptive is pretty much it,\u201d Niemann said. \u201cThat\u2019s what I try to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Niemann played only 5% of the Chargers\u2019 defensive snaps but was on the field for 80% of their special teams plays last year. He played 74% of the special teams snaps and 21% of the defensive snaps in 2023.<\/p>\n
He signed with Houston in free agency but was left off the Texans\u2019 53-man roster.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was caught a little bit by surprise but, at the same time, they also have a deep linebacker room,\u201d Niemann said. \u201cIt was very competitive, so you want to think positive but, at the same time, it\u2019s a business and it\u2019s hard to make a roster. Just got to accept it and move on.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Niemann now finds himself adjusting to a new team and new city just over a week before the start of the season. His family\u2019s football background helps him adapt to such changes.<\/p>\n
Niemann\u2019s older brother, Ben, has played linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs<\/a> (2018-21), Arizona Cardinals (2022), Denver Broncos (2023) and Detroit Lions (2024). Their father is Iowa assistant defensive line coach Jay Niemann.<\/p>\n \u201cWe moved around a lot just because my dad was a coach,\u201d Niemann said. \u201cWe kind of just moved to a new place, you don\u2019t know anyone. It\u2019s kind of like it was me and my brother, and that\u2019s just how it was every time we moved, and just kind of bonded over the football life that we had.\u201d<\/p>\n Niemann hopes he sticks around a while at his latest stop.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cJust coming into an organization with this fan base, this history \u2014 everyone has good things to say about this,\u201d Niemann said. \u201cI\u2019ve talked to other guys that have played here and it\u2019s nothing but good stuff to say, from the staff, fans, support staff, the community feel here of everyone is living and breathing Packer football. I just can\u2019t wait to be a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Love practices more fully<\/p>\n QB Jordan Love took snaps from the shotgun and under center Wednesday after practicing on a limited basis<\/a> last week.<\/p>\n