Not all top-10 draft picks end up working out. Not even the ones labeled “unicorns” are safe from the stark reality that playing professional football is hard. The NFL’s funny that way. Just ask former New York Giants linebacker Isaiah Simmons, once heralded as one of the most athletically gifted prospects the draft had seen in over a decade coming out of Clemson in 2020.
The Arizona Cardinals were swept away by his oozing potential, selecting the former 2019 Butkus Award winner—awarded to college football's best linebacker—with the eighth overall pick.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, free agent linebacker Isaiah Simmons is visiting the Green Bay Packers on Monday. The 26-year-old spent the last two seasons with the G-Men after being acquired from Arizona in 2023. Simmons showed flashes in New York, but never quite figured out how to utilize his exceptional athleticism effectively enough to stay on the field.
Now? He might be heading to his third team in six seasons that might just try to convince themselves they can make something out of Simmons.
Packers could be the next team to bet on Isaiah Simmons
Big Blue bet small on the Simmons experience back in 2023. He was coming off an uninspiring three seasons in the desert before the Cards sent him to the Big Apple in exchange for a seventh-round pick. That's pretty telling.
However, the Giants saw value in a 6-foot-4, 238-pound-do-everything linebacker who had the tools to impact every level of the defense. And for a seventh-rounder, for a former top-10 pick? It was a no-brainer. But it just never worked out in New York.
Simmons appeared in all 17 games in 2023 and hit the market again as an unrestricted free agent after Arizona declined his fifth-year option. He returned to New York on a one-year deal, started just one game, and mostly contributed on special teams. Nothing to write home about. Now, the Packers are the latest team that could convince themselves he’s worth a flier.
In 84 games, Simmons has amassed 329 tackles, 21 passes defensed, 8.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and five interceptions.
Simmons didn’t hurt the Giants, but he didn’t help much either. A low-risk flyer that never flew. Now he’s potentially Green Bay’s project to figure out. Best of luck to ’em.