The Green Bay Packers did a lot to bolster their defense this offseason, and part of that plan was the signing of Isaiah Simmons. After years of playing multiple positions with the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants, the Packers believed the former top-10 pick could realize his potential by solely focusing on linebacker after signing a one-year deal.
That plan didn’t work out. Simmons never appeared in a regular season game for the Packers, getting released among the team’s final roster cuts coming out of training camp. While he hadn’t found a job through the first three months of the season, the 27-year-old finally got his opportunity with a playoff contender, as the Carolina Panthers announced they have signed him to their practice squad on Tuesday afternoon.
Panthers Give Isaiah Simmons a Second Chance After Packers Letdown
By signing with the Panthers, Simmons hopes he can fare better than he did in Green Bay. Things started well when defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley dubbed Simmons “a unicorn” at the start of training camp, and Hafley was also optimistic that they could “put him in position to help him help us,” behind Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie.
Simmons fell out of favor once the preseason began, however, logging Pro Football Focus grades under 30 in each of the Packers’ first two games. While he played better in the preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks, it wasn’t enough to save his job, and he’ll now hope that he can help Carolina’s push to the playoffs.
The Panthers fell to 6-6 on the season with their loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, but they remain in the hunt for the NFC South title. Carolina has three divisional games left on their schedule, including two against the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Dec. 21 and Jan. 4, and Simmons could provide depth to a linebacker room that has Trevin Wallace and Christian Rozeboom currently nursing injuries.
The signing may just be insurance for a team that is pursuing its first playoff appearance since 2017. But for a player who has spent most of this season without a job, Simmons will welcome the surprise opportunity to make up for the one he lost in Green Bay.