The Pressure is On Green Bay Packers Isaiah Simmons In Week 2 Of NFL Preseason
Isaiah Simmons is no stranger to the spotlight. A former first-round draft pick and collegiate Butkus Award winner, the 6-foot-4, 238-pound linebacker entered the NFL with sky-high expectations. But after bouncing between roles during his time with the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants, Simmons now finds himself with the Green Bay Packers, transitioning to a new position and fighting to carve out a significant role.
His preseason performance against the New York Jets provided an opportunity to showcase his potential—and highlighted both the challenges and the promise of his transition.
Green Bay Packers Isaiah Simmons: Adjusting to a New Role
Although Simmons has played linebacker, the Green Bay Packers have him focusing on a new niche within their system. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley described it as a fresh start.
“A lot of stuff he’s doing for the first time,” Hafley noted. “I thought he did some good things and there’s some things he needs to correct, which is what the preseason is for and what camp is for.”
While Simmons spent plenty of time in coverage during his stints with the Cardinals and Giants—often lined up in the slot—his new role places him almost exclusively in the box, requiring a different set of reads, techniques, and mechanics. These adjustments were evident against the Jets, where Simmons’ 39 defensive snaps made him one of the most active Packers on the field.
Bright Spots and Growing Pains
Simmons’ outing against the Jets was a mixed bag, as expected for a player navigating unfamiliar territory. He recorded a solid four tackles, showcased flashes of his legendary athleticism, and played deep into the second half to soak up as much experience as possible.
However, there were moments of struggle, too. He got turned around in coverage on an early play, leading to a wide-open completion, and was muscled out of position on a screen pass that resulted in a Jets touchdown. Pro Football Focus graded Simmons as one of the lowest-performing linebackers during Week 1 of the preseason, citing a perfect 158.3 passer rating allowed in coverage.
Head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged Simmons’ mistakes but remained optimistic. “He’s got to go out there and do it within our defense for us to feel confident to put him out there,” LaFleur said. “I thought he got some good work in yesterday.”
Linebackers coach Sean Duggan echoed that sentiment, describing the preseason as a time for errors to be corrected. “He’d be the first to say he wished he had some plays back,” Duggan said. “But that’s why these preseason games are so great. There’s stuff we can correct, there’s stuff we can improve on. Overall, he’s had a good camp.”
A Special Teams Opportunity
Simmons isn’t just playing for a role on defense; he’s battling to secure a place on the Packers’ roster. With Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper emerging as the starting inside linebackers, and dependable veterans like Isaiah McDuffie ahead of him on the depth chart, Simmons likely needs to find other ways to make an impact.
For special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, Simmons’ physical gifts—his 4.39 speed and 9.97 Relative Athletic Score—make him an intriguing weapon on kick coverage units.
“We’re asking him to do some things he hasn’t done before in the kicking game to try to use his abilities to help all of us,” Bisaccia said. During his two snaps as a flier on the punt team against the Jets, Simmons helped force a fair catch on one rep and showed promise despite limited experience in the role.
With the Packers emphasizing the importance of special teams contributions for fringe roster players, further preseason reps in this capacity could be critical for Simmons.
The Raw Tools That Make Simmons Intriguing
At 25 years old, Isaiah Simmons remains an undeniable athletic specimen. Few linebackers in the NFL possess his combination of size, speed, and flexibility, which once made him the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. While his NFL production has yet to match his potential, the Packers offer a situation that could maximize his strengths.
“Hopefully, he’ll get more comfortable and we’ll see that translate to the field,” Hafley added. “He’s certainly got a lot of snaps to gain that experience.”
With the Packers’ defense under Hafley developing a reputation for adaptability, there’s reason to believe Simmons could emerge as a versatile chess piece capable of contributing both in coverage and as a downhill thumper in the run game.
What’s Next for Simmons?
Heading into the remainder of the preseason, the focus for Isaiah Simmons will be on consistency. On defense, he’ll need to clean up his coverage assignments and show greater physicality against blockers in the run game. On special teams, earning the trust of Bisaccia as a reliable playmaker could be Simmons’ ticket to the final roster.
The Green Bay Packers traditionally give multi-positional athletes like Simmons every chance to succeed. With two preseason games remaining, Simmons has the time, talent, and opportunity to cement his place in Green Bay. However, the competition is fierce, and every snap will matter as roster cutdowns approach.
Final Thoughts
Isaiah Simmons is a player with tantalizing potential whose NFL career has yet to follow a straight path. His preseason performance against the Jets hinted at both areas for improvement and the raw ability that once made him one of the most exciting prospects in football.
For the Green Bay Packers, Simmons represents both a challenge and an opportunity—the challenge of fitting a gifted but raw player into their defensive blueprint, and the opportunity to unlock a skill set that few players in the league possess. His road to the roster is far from guaranteed, but one thing is certain—he’ll be one to watch as the Packers continue their preseason campaign.
