GREEN BAY – Two things jumped off the page to Isaiah Simmons after the former eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft started talking with the Packers this offseason.
Enthusiasm and candor.
Green Bay not only showed the most interest in Simmons as a free agent but also had the best plan for utilizing the uber-athletic linebacker's talents within defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley's scheme.
It starts with an emphasis on linebacker.
"They were nothing but upfront," Simmons said. "They were like, 'We're just going to be completely candid. Most of our guys are coming back. There are a few pieces that we need, and you happen to be one of them.'"
For years, Simmons has been deployed in a series of hybrid defensive roles. It's the blessing and curse that comes with being one of the few 6-foot-4, 238-pound humans who also can run a sub-4.4 time in the 40-yard dash.
From the start, the Packers made it clear they weren't interested in spreading Simmons out like that. They have defensive ends to rush the passer and defensive backs to cover receivers.
Green Bay's plan was to get Simmons back to his roots, more specifically the "Sam" and "Will" linebacker positions.
"We're excited about getting him," said Hafley last month. "I loved him coming out of school; think a lot of us did. He's a big, fast, physical guy that can run, and he's made plays before, so we're hoping to put him in position to help him help us."
Simmons has had an interesting career arc. After playing multiple spots at Clemson, Simmons boosted his draft stock with a performance for the ages at the 2020 scouting combine.
The Cardinals made him a top 10 pick and Simmons showed remarkable promise early on, recording 258 tackles (13 for loss), 7½ sacks, 16 passes defensed, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles in 50 games over his first three NFL seasons.
After Jonathan Gannon was hired to replace Kliff Kingsbury, however, Arizona dealt Simmons to the New York Giants near the end of training camp in 2023.
Simmons was a stalwart on the Giants' special teams the past two seasons, highlighted by a game-winning blocked field goal last October against Seattle, but played only 558 defensive snaps while being stationed in the safeties room.
"It has been frustrating but, ultimately, I try to treat everything as a lesson," Simmons said. "You can either take it and build from it or you can let it hold you down. I'm actually very grateful for New York for what they did. They lit a fire under me, and I'm ready to go."
Simmons was in New York long enough to cross paths with safety Xavier McKinney, who spent his first four seasons with the Giants before joining Green Bay last year.
McKinney and Simmons stood on opposite ends of the Alabama-Clemson rivalry that dominated college football in the late 2010s but quickly gelled as teammates in New York.
Simmons kept tabs on McKinney during his eight-interception debut season with the Packers. "After every game, every time I looked at my phone, I'm like, 'He got another pick,'" Simmons laughed.
When Green Bay started looking into the possibility of signing Simmons, the team consulted McKinney about his former Giants teammate. The newly minted All-Pro safety gave "two thumbs up," according to Head Coach Matt LaFleur.
"It means a lot, especially coming from a guy like 'X,' a very respected guy in this league as we all know," Simmons said. "Having guys like that in your corner definitely means a lot, especially knowing the guys believe in you and know that you're here for a reason."
Simmons has enjoyed his immersion into Hafley's scheme so far. While he's still working on the playbook, Simmons already feels "this is the most comfortable in a system" he's been since entering the NFL.
During OTAs and minicamp, an undisclosed injury to Quay Walker afforded Simmons first-team reps alongside Isaiah McDuffie and Edgerrin Cooper.
The competition is expected to be red hot in the linebacker room in training camp, as the Packers also return 2024 third-round pick Ty'Ron Hopper and veteran Kristian Welch.
Simmons welcomes it and is eager to earn any role Green Bay gives him. To Simmons, the Packers represent a blank page and refreshing new chapter in his football career.
Still only 26 years old, the former All-American is excited to keep a singular focus on the position for which he won the Butkus Award as the best college linebacker.
"I think really what I ran into most of my career is everybody wants me to do everything as opposed to letting me get really good at one thing first," Simmons said.
"I fully believe in Haf's plan. He's letting me just lock in and learn a small portion first before we even think about expanding to anything else. That's something I really appreciate because I never really had that opportunity to just hone in on one position."
