Isaiah Simmons entered free agency with one question at the forefront of his mind for teams interested in his services: What is your plan for me?
“To me, it seemed like Green Bay had the best plan, was most excited about me and liked me,” Simmons said, according to Pro Football Talk.
Jack Hafley, the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers, is asking Simmons to play linebacker and linebacker only. Simmons stood in for Quay Walker, who was dealing with an injury, with the first-team defense during minicamp, where he played alongside Isaiah McDuffie and Edgerrin Cooper.
“I think really what I ran into most of my career is everybody wants me to do everything as opposed to letting me get really good at one thing first,” Simmons said. “I fully believe in Haf’s plan.
“He’s letting me just lock in and learn a small portion first before we even think about expanding to anything else. That’s something I really appreciate because I never really had that opportunity to really just hone in on one position.
“That’s been huge for me. It’s something… that hasn’t been presented to me because my versatility, I feel like it’s a little bit of a gift and a curse, where they want you to do everything but, at the end of the day, I’m still a human.”
Simmons only started five games with the New York Giants over the last two seasons, but he appreciates the mindset the experience has given him.
“I’m actually very grateful for New York for what they did,” Simmons said. “They lit a fire under me, and I’m ready to go.”
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.