The New York Giants moved on from Isaiah Simmons earlier this offseason. Now, the Green Bay Packers are doing the same. According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the former top-10 pick has been released after just one offseason in Green Bay. It’s a notable move on cut day, but not exactly a surprising one.
The #Packers are expected to release linebacker Isaiah Simmons, sources tell @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) August 26, 2025
The former Cardinals top-10 pick had joined Green Bay earlier this offseason after two years with the Giants. Has 329 career tackles. pic.twitter.com/ylexL8aonD
Simmons was in a real battle for one of the final linebacker spots on the Packers’ 53-man roster, and it became obvious where things were headed when he played deep into the second half of their second preseason game. That’s never a good sign for a veteran. Simmons ended the preseason having allowed nine catches on 11 targets. Even a decent finale wasn’t enough to change things.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because the G-Men already saw this coming. New York took the same flyer on Simmons last year and came to the same conclusion. There’s a reason the Giants opted for steadier depth like Chris Board. There’s a reason Arizona didn't pick up his fifth-year option. In hindsight, the outcome wasn’t all that hard to predict.
Green Bay release proves Giants were right to cut ties with Isaiah Simmons
The athletic profile has never been the issue. Simmons still runs like a defensive back and carries like a linebacker. But he hasn’t shown the instincts or consistency to actually thrive in one role.
Big Blue moved him around constantly — linebacker, safety, slot corner — hoping something would click. It never did. And the Packers learned the same thing the hard way: just giving him a single position doesn’t magically solve the problem.
He’s had flashes, but the consistency hasn’t followed. Simmons spent two seasons with the New York Giants trying to carve out a role and never quite found his footing. The Packers gave him a chance to reset in a more defined scheme, but the same issues cropped up. And now, five-plus seasons and three teams later, he’s once again the odd man out.
Maybe another team gives him one more shot. But after stops in New York, Arizona, and now Green Bay, it’s becoming painfully clear that the league already knows what Simmons is, and what he isn’t.