Giants Could Lose Another Defender to Packers

Just about everything that could have gone wrong went wrong for the New York Giants in 2024. Finishing with a 3-14 record but not the first-overall pick stings, and it was the result of a season in which basically every unit underperformed.

Daniel Jones was benched and cut halfway through the season. The offensive line collapsed under the weight of left tackle Andrew Thomas’ absence. Deonte Banks failed to take the step expected of him as a first-rounder and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence’s Defensive Player of the Year campaign ended on Thanksgiving due to an elbow injury.

The season went off the rails, and the plans New York forged in training camp quickly changed. One such idea would maximize linebacker Isaiah Simmons’ versatility, letting him play in the slot on early downs at linebacker in passing situations. He played just 181 snaps over 12 games.

Simmons was seemingly always going to leave in free agency, and now he could follow in Xavier McKinney’s footsteps. According to Ian Rapoport, the former Giants linebacker visited the Green Bay Packers on Monday.

Of course, in 2024, McKinney was one of New York’s high-profile departures and promptly signed a four-year, $67 million deal with Green Bay. He immediately blossomed into one of the game’s best safeties, logging eight interceptions on the way to a first-team All-Pro selection.

Simmons isn’t doing that. His biggest contributions came on special teams – he blocked the Seattle Seahawks’ fourth-quarter field goal for a Week 5 win – and remains more promising as an idea than on the field. His athleticism is tantalizing, and it might be put to use in Green Bay or wherever else, but it has never made a real impact over a long stretch.

Interestingly enough, Simmons’ best season came in 2023, with Wink Martindale presiding over the Giants defense. He split more time between edge rusher and linebacker than he did in the slot.

Ultimately, Simmons’ skill set will keep him around, even if it comes on special teams, where he was among New York’s top contributors. Entering Year 6 and running out of opportunities to start, he’ll look for a landing spot with the cleanest path to playing time. The Packers, without much notable depth at linebacker, might be that team.