{"id":21923,"date":"2025-05-03T22:52:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-03T22:52:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=21923"},"modified":"2025-05-03T22:52:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-03T22:52:14","slug":"breaking-matt-lafleur-reveals-plan-for-newly-acquired-packer-isaiah-simmons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=21923","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING : Matt LaFleur Reveals Plan For Newly Acquired Packer Isaiah Simmons"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Matt<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers announced the signing of linebacker Isaiah Simmons.<\/p>\n

Simmons, a former 8th-overall draft selection, spent his last two seasons with the New York Giants and possesses the versatility to play multiple different positions on defense.<\/p>\n

He now joins one of the league\u2019s youngest and most talented linebacker groups in Green Bay.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When asked about his plan for Simmons, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur sounded very optimistic and excited about the team’s newest addition.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust to get him in here, obviously he\u2019s going to be in the linebacker room,\u201d LaFleur said on Friday. \u201cHe\u2019s got a lot of versatility to do a lot of different things. I know in New York, when we went against them a couple of years ago, specifically situationally, he was all over the place. So I think that just tells you his mental capacity in order to understand defensive schemes, and we had a lot of great conversations with him leading up to him signing with us.”<\/p>\n

Simmons is on a one-year contract with a cap hit of just $1,197,500, making this a very low-risk, high-reward move for general manager Brian Gutekunst and the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we have a vision for him and we\u2019ll just watch and see how that progresses over time,” LaFleur added.<\/p>\n

Over his two seasons with the Giants, Simmons started just five games while primarily being a rotational backup and special-teams player.<\/p>\n

During Simmons’s first season in New York, he played 33% of defensive snaps. He finished with a 68.9 PFF grade and ranked as a top-10 coverage linebacker in the league.<\/p>\n

In 2024, the 26-year-old had his least productive season of his career, starting one game and playing just 17% of all team defensive snaps. Simmons finished the season with a 45.6 overall\u00a0PFF\u00a0grade, which ranked as 170th out of 189 eligible linebackers.<\/p>\n

Simmons is capable of playing as an off-ball linebacker, edge rusher, nickel, and safety, giving Green Bay even more versatility on the defensive side of the ball.<\/p>\n

If the Clemson product can get back to his level of play prior to last season, this deal will age incredibly well for the Packers.<\/p>\n

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Isaiah Simmons is gonna thrive in Jeff Hafley\u2019s defense. August cant come soon enough. <\/p>\n

Welcome to the Packers, @isaiahsimmons25<\/a>!#GoPackGo<\/a>
pic.twitter.com\/KzdgJKbmQT<\/a><\/p>\n

— SleeperPackers (@SleeperPackers) April 30, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n