GREEN BAY – Brian Gutekunst has taken on a new project, aiming to revitalize the career of a former top-10 draft selection who is still striving for stability as he enters his sixth NFL season. The Green Bay Packers inked linebacker Isaiah Simmons on April 28, according to NFL Network reports.

Simmons, initially picked eighth overall in the 2020 draft by the Arizona Cardinals, spent three seasons there before serving as a backup with the New York Giants over the past two years. Earlier that day, the Packers revealed the departure of defensive lineman Leonard Payne. When Simmons entered the NFL as a standout from Clemson, a backup position wasn’t in the cards.

Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 238 pounds, Simmons impressed at the 2020 scouting combine with a remarkable 4.39-second 40-yard dash, including a swift 1.51-second 10-yard split. His athletic prowess was further highlighted by a 39-inch vertical leap and a top relative athletic score of 99 among 2020 linebackers.

As a junior at Clemson, Simmons earned the Butkus Award as the nation’s premier linebacker, but his collegiate success didn’t immediately translate to the NFL. During his three seasons with the Cardinals, he logged four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and 7.5 sacks, before being traded to the Giants. The Packers may be keen to leverage his athletic abilities in a blitz strategy that capitalizes on linebackers pressuring the quarterback.

In his debut season with the Giants, Simmons contributed one interception, one fumble recovery, and one sack, while playing just 377 snaps in 2023. His playing time reduced to 181 snaps last season. Simmons now has the opportunity to revitalize his career this offseason with the Packers, joining a linebacker roster that includes Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, and Isaiah McDuffie. The Packers have a history of offering second chances to former high-ranking draft picks, such as offensive tackle Andre Dillard last season, and wide receiver Sammy Watkins, the fourth overall pick in 2014, for the 2022 season.