GREEN BAY, Wis. — In April, the Green Bay Packers brought aboard a veteran linebacker with a top-10 draft pedigree in hopes of rejuvenating a career that had fallen stagnant.
Four months later, he's one of the first 10 cuts they've made to bring their roster down to 53 players.
Isaiah Simmons, a former No. 8 overall pick, was released by the Packers on Tuesday, according to CBS Sports. Only 27 years old, Simmons will now look to join his fourth team since entering the league as a premium draft selection by the Arizona Cardinals.
At 6'4 and 238 pounds, Simmons was able to function both as a safety and linebacker throughout his career, however, the Packers' coaching staff provided him with the opportunity to focus solely on the former. It didn't pan out—through three exhibition contests, there were too many instances where Simmons looked lost, slow to react and discombobulated.
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The expectations of what Simmons could potentially be for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley appeared to prematurely skyrocket during the early stages of training camp when he was flying around in shorts and a helmet. But once the Packers transitioned into fully padded practices and, eventually, under the lights for the preseason, Simmons was much less desirable and, instead, looked replaceable. Simmons played 129 snaps on defense this summer, second on the team only to defensive back Johnathan Baldwin. While he led the team with 14 tackles, he was also tied for the team lead with four missed tackles with defensive end Arron Mosby and linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson. In coverage, he was targeted 15 times, surrendering 13 receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown.
That wasn't going to be too much of a problem, considering the Packers brought Simmons in specifically to contribute for Rich Bisaccia on special teams. He played 21 snaps for Bisaccia's unit and accounted for two tackles, but it just wasn't enough for the Packers to consider him as a 53-man roster candidate.
Simmons' release could serve as good news for Kristian Welch, who was competing with Simmons for that final spot on the depth chart at linebacker. Welch has appeared much more comfortable when on defense and he's a routine specialist for Bisaccia. This is his second summer stint with the Packers after he was released during final cut-downs last year; two years in a row, he has done more than enough to stick on the roster.
Zachary Jacobson is the Editor-in-Chief of Packer Report. He is entering his 11th season covering theGreen Bay Packers. He is a member of thePro Football Writers of America. Follow him on Twitter@zacobson or contact him via email atitszachariahj@gmail.com