The hype was real for a minute there. When news broke in April 2025 that the Isaiah Simmons Green Bay Packers era was officially beginning, fans started dreaming of a "unicorn" defender. A 6-foot-4 monster with 4.39 speed roaming the middle of Lambeau Field? It sounded like a Madden cheat code. Honestly, it’s exactly the kind of low-risk, high-reward move that keeps general managers awake at night, thinking they’ve found the missing piece for a Super Bowl run.
But the NFL moves fast. By late August, the dream was dead. Simmons didn't just miss the starting lineup; he didn't even make the plane for Week 1.
What actually happened with Isaiah Simmons and the Packers?
Brian Gutekunst is known for taking swings on elite athletes. Simmons, a former top-10 pick with the Arizona Cardinals, fit that mold perfectly. The plan was simple: let new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley figure it out. Hafley even called Simmons a "unicorn" early in training camp. The coaching staff wanted to stop the "positionless" madness that plagued his time in Arizona and New York. They told him to just be a linebacker.
It didn't stick.
During the 2025 preseason, the cracks started to show. While Simmons looked great in individual drills—his physical tools are undeniable—the actual game tape was a mess. In the first two preseason games, his Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades dipped below 30. That is essentially "struggling to find the bus" territory for a veteran. He was often a step behind on coverage assignments and looked hesitant in the run game.
The roster crunch that ended the experiment
Green Bay wasn't exactly hurting for talent in the linebacker room. With Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper looking like the future, Simmons was fighting for a depth role. He actually led the team with 19 tackles over three preseason games, but raw numbers don't tell the whole story. Coaches care about "the why." If you’re making a tackle five yards downfield because you were out of position, those 19 tackles don't mean much to a guy like Matt LaFleur.
On August 26, 2025, the Packers officially released Isaiah Simmons. It was a "disastrous" preseason, as some local outlets called it. He had a $1.5 million deal that basically evaporated because he couldn't beat out undrafted free agents and special teams specialists.
The Isaiah Simmons journey after Green Bay
If you're wondering where he is now, the story didn't end in Wisconsin. After sitting on the couch for the first half of the 2025 season, the Carolina Panthers came calling in November. They were desperate. Injuries to Trevin Wallace and Christian Rozeboom left their linebacker room looking thin.
- Signed to the practice squad: November 25, 2025.
- Elevated to active roster: December 2025 for a divisional clash against the Saints.
- The Role: Primarily a special teams contributor and emergency depth.
It’s a far cry from being the 8th overall pick in the draft. Usually, guys with his profile get four or five "second chances." Green Bay was chance number three. Carolina is chance number four.
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Why does he keep bouncing around?
The "Swiss Army Knife" label is a curse in the modern NFL if you don't have a "home" position. Coaches love the idea of a guy who can play safety, slot corner, and linebacker. But in reality, if you're a "B-" at everything, you're usually an "F" at the specific thing a coordinator needs you to do on 3rd and 7.
In Green Bay, they tried to force him into a box. They wanted him to be a traditional linebacker. But his instincts just haven't caught up to his legs. You can't outrun a bad read in the NFL.
Lessons from the Green Bay experiment
If there's one thing we've learned from the Isaiah Simmons Green Bay Packers saga, it's that elite athleticism has a shelf life. The NFL is a league of specialists.
For the Packers, it was a "no-harm, no-foul" move. They didn't lose draft capital, and the cap hit was negligible. For Simmons, it was a wake-up call. When a team as desperate for defensive playmakers as the 2025 Packers lets you go before the season starts, the "prospect" label is officially gone. You’re just a vet trying to hang on.
What you should watch for next:
Keep an eye on the Panthers' 2026 offseason. Simmons is currently a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) or headed toward a league-minimum veteran deal. If he wants to stay in the league, he’ll likely have to embrace the "Special Teams Ace" lifestyle. He showed flashes of that in New York—blocking field goals and making coverage tackles. That’s his path back to a 53-man roster.
If you’re a Packers fan, don't sweat the "what if." The emergence of Edgerrin Cooper has more than made up for the Simmons gamble. Sometimes the best moves are the ones that don't cost you anything when they fail.