1 week Ago By Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
GREEN BAY – Brian Gutekunst’s latest reclamation project is a former top-10 draft pick who is still trying to find traction entering his sixth NFL season.The Green Bay Packers signed linebacker Isaiah Simmons on April 28, according to NFL Network. Simmons was the eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft by the Arizona Cardinals, where he played three seasons.
He spent the past two seasons as a backup with the New York Giants.Earlier in the day, the Packers announced the release of defensive lineman Leonard Payne.A reserve role wasn’t the plan for Simmons when he entered the NFL as a premier prospect out of Clemson.
At 6-foot-4, 238 pounds, he ran a blazing 4.39 40 at the 2020 scouting combine. His 40-yard dash included a 1.
51 10-yard split. Simmons also had a 39-inch vertical jump and relative athletic score of 99, the highest among the 2020 linebacker class.Simmons was the Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker in his junior year at Clemson, but that production did not carry over to the field early in his NFL career.
He started most of his three seasons with the Cardinals before they traded him to the Giants. In those three seasons, Simmons had four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 7.5 sacks.
The Packers might be hoping to tap into his athletic potential in a blitz scheme that utilizes linebackers to rush the passer.In his first season with the Giants, Simmons added one interception, one fumble recovery and one sack. But he played just 377 snaps in 2023.
His snap count dwindled to 181 last season.Simmons will get a chance to reignite his career this offseason with the Packers, joining a linebacker depth chart that includes Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper and Isaiah McDuffie. The Packers have shown a willingness to give former high-end draft picks a second chance, most recently offensive tackle Andre Dillard last season.
They also signed receiver Sammy Watkins, the fourth overall pick in 2014, for the 2022 season.This article originally appeared on Packers News: Green Bay Packers sign 2020 top-10 draft pick Isaiah Simmons.
