The Bears just pushed their chips to the middle of the table.
Chicago is acquiring All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Thursday. NFL.com credited The Ringer's Tom Pelissero with breaking the news first. As of Thursday morning it's a reported agreement, and neither team had officially announced the deal.
The deal
These are the terms Schefter reported:
- Bears get: Jeffery Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round pick
- Titans get: Chicago's 2027 and 2028 first-round picks and a 2027 fourth-round pick
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/2115813435543826449
Schefter also pointed out that this is the second time recently an NFC North team has paid two firsts for a defensive star, after Green Bay did it for Micah Parsons.
The money
ESPN reported that Simmons, 29, signed a three-year, $105.8 million extension with the Titans in June that includes $100 million guaranteed. ESPN said that keeps him under contract through the 2030 season, so Chicago is taking on that deal.
What Chicago is getting
He's the real thing. According to ESPN, Simmons was a first-team All-Pro last season after a career-high 11 sacks, and he's a four-time Pro Bowler with 46.5 career sacks. ESPN Research ranks him second among defensive tackles in sacks since 2019 and tied for first in forced fumbles.
His 2026 numbers hold up too. ESPN reported that he leads the Titans with four sacks through seven games. ESPN also cited NFL Next Gen Stats, which credits him with 28 pressures, the most of any defensive tackle.
There's a reunion angle as well. ESPN noted that Simmons will line up next to Montez Sweat again, his former teammate at Mississippi State.
Why now
The two teams are headed in opposite directions. ESPN lists the Bears at 5-2 and the Titans at 1-6. According to NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk, Simmons told reporters Wednesday that as far as he knew he wasn't getting traded before the deadline. A day later, he was.
For Tennessee, it's a rebuild move. ESPN reported that Simmons was playing 86.6% of the Titans' defensive snaps and that veterans Solomon Thomas and John Franklin-Myers will try to fill the hole.
For Chicago, it's a statement. The Bears have a winning record and a defense that NBC Sports ranks eighth in yards allowed, and now they're adding one of the best interior pass rushers in football.
Photo: Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons swap jerseys in 2022. All-Pro Reels via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
