Packers sign former No. 8 overall pick to help defense after NFL Draft

Billy Heyen

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Packers sign former No. 8 overall pick to help defense after NFL Draft image

The Green Bay Packers found an under-the-radar free agent to attempt to help their defense.

This free agent didn't always fly under the radar. He was once a high-upside No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Now, Isaiah Simmons is a veteran and the newest Packers defender.

The Cardinals picked Simmons 8th overall in 2020.

Through 84 career NFL games, Simmons has five interceptions, nine forced fumbles and 8.5 sacks.

Whether a team lists him as a linebacker or safety, he can sort of be a mixture of both.

Simmons was one of the top athletes in his draft class.

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He hasn't put it all together at the NFL level at all times, but at just 26 years old, Green Bay likely feels Simmons still has room to grow.

Green Bay's linebacker group already included Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty'Ron Harper and Kristian Welch.

The Packers didn't draft a traditional linebacker, but they add Simmons shortly after to fill in some depth needs.

Green Bay fans are hoping Simmons still has just that little bit of untapped upside that could turn him from serviceable into a really good NFL player. Maybe it's still in there for the former Clemson superstar.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle