Bears Trade Two First-Round Picks for Jeffery Simmons

The Bears traded their first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 to the Titans on Thursday. The deal also included a fourth-round selection in the upcoming draft. In exchange, Chicago received All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and a fifth-round pick in 2028.

Simmons is 29 years old and has recorded four sacks in seven games this season. According to Next Gen Stats, he leads all defensive tackles with 28 pressures. He is the only player in the league to achieve three sacks against double teams.

General Manager Ryan Poles and Head Coach Ben Johnson view the move as a step toward a Super Bowl title. The franchise has not won a championship since 1985. The Bears won their division last season for the first time since 2018 with an 11-6 record. They defeated the Packers in the wild card round but lost to the Rams in overtime in the divisional round.

Chicago is currently 5-2 after winning two consecutive games. The team will play in Seattle on Monday night. The Bears trail the undefeated Vikings in the NFC North. The acquisition of Simmons strengthens a defensive line that had drawn questions.

Mike Borgonzi, the Titans General Manager, praised Simmons during the trade. "Jeff has been an elite player here in this organization, both on and off the field," Borgonzi said. He added that his respect for Simmons is greater than for any other player he has worked with. Borgonzi noted the difficulty of the decision given Simmons' leadership over the past year and a half.

Head Coach Ben Johnson discussed the team's strategy ahead of the November 10 trade deadline. He stated that there were "a lot of things going on" in the front office. Johnson explained that Poles is evaluating every option to improve the roster. "We are in constant dialogue about what this team needs and where we can make an impact, not just this year, but also in the years to come," Johnson said.

The Titans are 1-6 and will play in Cincinnati on Sunday. They finished 3-14 in each of the last two seasons. The team has not had a winning record since going 12-5 in 2021. Head Coach Robert Saleh addressed the trade with his players. "Nobody is offering any of our guys, but as I told our guys, when you're not closing games and you're here at 1-6, teams are going to start fishing," Saleh said. He noted that one team threw a hook big enough that he did not think anyone could say no.

Simmons was drafted by the Titans in the first round of the 2019 draft from Mississippi State. He was a teammate of Bears defensive end Montez Sweat during his college career. In his rookie year, he played nine games, started seven, and recorded two sacks.

Standing 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 305 pounds, Simmons has become one of the NFL's top interior defensive linemen. He earned a first-team All-Pro selection last year after setting a personal record with 11 sacks in 15 games. He is a four-time Pro Bowler who signed a three-year contract extension in June. Reports indicated the deal included 100 million dollars in guaranteed money.