GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Nick Niemann wasted no time finding a new team, with the linebacker and special teams standout reporting to the Green Bay Packers one day after the Houston Texans cut him.
Niemann said he caught a 5 a.m. flight Wednesday to begin practicing with the Packers.
“That’s how it goes around the league,” Niemann said. “You get a new opportunity, you’ve just got to dive in and learn as you go and hit the ground running.”
Green Bay made room for Niemann by releasing cornerback Micah Robinson, a seventh-round pick from Tulane.
The 27-year-old Niemann should provide a boost to the Packers’ special-teams units.
He played 64 games over the four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, who selected him out of Iowa in the sixth round of the 2021 draft. Niemann led the Chargers in special teams tackles in 2021 (14) and 2024 (11) and tied for the team lead in 2023 (eight).
Niemann described to reporters what makes a good special-teams player.
“Just having a good feel and having a trigger, being physical, playing fast and being disruptive is pretty much it,” Niemann said. “That’s what I try to do.”
Niemann played only 5% of the Chargers’ defensive snaps but was on the field for 80% of their special teams plays last year. He played 74% of the special teams snaps and 21% of the defensive snaps in 2023.
He signed with Houston in free agency but was left off the Texans’ 53-man roster.
“I was caught a little bit by surprise but, at the same time, they also have a deep linebacker room,” Niemann said. “It was very competitive, so you want to think positive but, at the same time, it’s a business and it’s hard to make a roster. Just got to accept it and move on.”
Niemann now finds himself adjusting to a new team and new city just over a week before the start of the season. His family’s football background helps him adapt to such changes.
Niemann’s older brother, Ben, has played linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs (2018-21), Arizona Cardinals (2022), Denver Broncos (2023) and Detroit Lions (2024). Their father is Iowa assistant defensive line coach Jay Niemann.
“We moved around a lot just because my dad was a coach,” Niemann said. “We kind of just moved to a new place, you don’t know anyone. It’s kind of like it was me and my brother, and that’s just how it was every time we moved, and just kind of bonded over the football life that we had.”
Niemann hopes he sticks around a while at his latest stop.
“Just coming into an organization with this fan base, this history — everyone has good things to say about this,” Niemann said. “I’ve talked to other guys that have played here and it’s nothing but good stuff to say, from the staff, fans, support staff, the community feel here of everyone is living and breathing Packer football. I just can’t wait to be a part of that.”
Love practices more fully
QB Jordan Love took snaps from the shotgun and under center Wednesday after practicing on a limited basis last week.
Love, who had surgery on his left (non-throwing) thumb earlier this month, has said all along he will be ready for the Sept. 7 opener with Detroit.
Injury notes
S Omar Brown said it was a collapsed lung that caused him to spend a week in the hospital after the Packers’ Aug. 16 preseason game at Indianapolis. Brown, who appeared in two games for Green Bay last season, was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. … WR Jayden Reed, WR Dontayvion Wicks, G Aaron Banks and C Elgton Jenkins returned to practice Wednesday. CB Nate Hobbs (knee) and WR Savion Williams (hamstring) and DE Barryn Sorrell (knee) remain out.
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