Packers make roster move by adding defensive veteran to 53-man group after surprising cutdown day decisions

The big decision at linebacker for the Green Bay Packers was the fifth spot, between Isaiah Simmons and Kristian Welch. Both got released, so general manager Brian Gutekunst moved fast to replace them on the 53-man roster.

On Wednesday, the Packers signed off-ball linebacker Nick Niemann, who has already played in the NFL for the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans. The news was first reported by Bill Huber, from Sports Illustrated.

Because Niemann is a vested veteran, he didn't need to go through waivers. Cut by the Texans, he was free to sign elsewhere—and decided to do it in Green Bay.

Who Nick Niemann is

A sixth-round pick back in 2021, Niemann played his first four NFL seasons for the Chargers. After his rookie contract expired, the linebacker signed back in March with the Texans. However, he was released on Tuesday as part of the final roster cuts.

On the Packers, he will have a relatively similar system. Both Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley come from the San Francisco 49ers defensive tree, even though they run adjusted versions of the scheme.

Throughout his NFL career, Niemann has played 326 snaps in the box, 22 in the slot, and 16 at the defensive line. As expected, he has a big special teams track record, with 1,291 snaps in the NFL. He has experience on the field in kick return, kick coverage, punt return, and field goal block units.

Because Niemann is a vested veteran who will be on the roster by Week 1, his base salary will be fully guaranteed—a strong indication that the Packers want him for the entire season.

Green Bay's off-ball linebacker room also has Edgerrin Cooper, Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, and Ty'Ron Hopper.