Packers' Unheralded Rookie Surging Up Depth Chart, Pushing for First-Team Reps 1 Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley gives instruction during a drill with defensive backs on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon, Wis.

Packers’ Vet Has ‘Long Way to Go’ to Secure Starting Job After Colts Game

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 10:57 AM ET

The Green Bay Packers were hoping that veteran Isaiah Simmons would nail down a starting job and become a key contributor on defense, but following his showing in Saturday’s 23-19 win over the Colts, it may be time to rethink those expectations.

One of the Packers’ linebacker spots is set, with Edgerrin Cooper looking to build on a stellar rookie season in which he garnered All-Pro votes, but Simmons isn’t any closer to securing another.

Is Packers’ Isaiah Simmons’ Stock Sliding?

Against the Colts, Simmons posted a team-high five total tackles but not everyone came away impressed by the Packers’ veteran’s showing.

Sports Illustrated’s On Packers’ Jacob Westendorf thinks Simmons is going to need to make a strong impression in the preseason finale.

“If preseason games are any indication,” Westendorf writes. “Simmons has a long way to go.”

“In the first quarter alone, Simmons was beaten twice in coverage, missed a tackle on a run play and another on punt coverage. For all the athletic gifts Simmons possesses and the potential he’s shown on the practice field, he’s struggled in the preseason games. If the Packers had to play a regular-season game tomorrow, there’s a good chance they would play Ty’Ron Hopper rather than Simmons.”

Packers News: New Recruit Isaiah Simmons Names 1 Thing He Appreciates About Jeff Hafley Compared to Other Coaches Who 'Wrongly' Used Him 2 Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA;New York Giants safety Isaiah Simmons (19) talks with media during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

After two preseason games Simmons finds himself in a bit of an unexpected predicament.

As Westendorf suggests, Simmons may need to prove he can excel on special teams if he is going to win win a roster spot, especially given Ty’Ron Hopper’s emergence as a dynamic playmaker throughout training camp and the preseason.