We’ve officially entered peak overreaction season. Training camps are underway, and with them comes the annual cycle of buzz, breakout declarations, and premature depth chart debates. It’s the time when veterans cling to roster spots, rookies flash just enough to stir hope, and unproven names fight like heck to stick around long enough to matter.
And what a coincidence... that brings us to Isaiah Simmons — a player who’s had five years to figure it out and still hasn’t. That hasn’t stopped the Green Bay Packers from offering him one more shot. The former No. 8 overall pick has bounced from Arizona to New York to now Green Bay, trying to find a system, a coaching staff, and a role that actually sticks.
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And if you caught the first day of Packers camp, you might think he’s finally found it. Or at least, that’s what the early buzz would have you believe.
Isaiah Simmons looks sharp out of the gate, but history tells us to pump the breaks
Simmons flew around the field during Day 1, getting early first-team reps and drawing praise from teammates — most notably from running back Josh Jacobs, who called him a “unicorn.”
Consider Josh Jacobs impressed with new #Packers linebacker Isaiah Simmons.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) July 23, 2025
“He’s a unicorn.” pic.twitter.com/8iy8YBZyfz
That word has followed the 26-year-old a lot since his Clemson days. He hasn’t lived up to the mythical flair yet, but to be fair, the play Jacobs is referencing was impressive. Simmons closed fast on a screen and snuffed it out before it got legs.
But then again, so did a lot of his practices in Arizona. And for that matter, quite a few in New York. Simmons has never lacked athleticism. It’s the in-game execution, processing speed, and consistency when pads are on that have kept him in that frustrating limbo between “limitless versatile weapon” and “positionless afterthought.”
That’s the context. No pads yet. No real pressure. No actual stakes. A veteran like Simmons should look better than most right now — he’s played a lot of football, and the structure in Green Bay should help him lock in on linebacker without the cross-training circus he dealt with in his last two stops.
Still, this isn’t new territory. He’s flashed before. Simmons is saying all the right things about focusing on one position, buying into defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s system, and taking this opportunity seriously.
Of course Simmons is going to pop without pads — he’s literally built for it. The real test comes when the contact’s real. For now, it’s a good start for a player who needs more than that to finally stick.