Micah Parsons knows Jeffery Simmons is a problem. He once wanted that problem playing alongside him. That doesn’t mean the Packers star is ready to hand Chicago a trophy for acquiring him.

Asked whether the Bears won the NFL trade deadline, Parsons hesitated. The player impressed him. The price required more consideration.

“That’s hard to say,” Parsons said on The Edge with Micah Parsons.

It was an answer guaranteed to interrupt the celebration in Chicago, where Simmons needed only two games to show why Ryan Poles pursued him. The Bears surrendered their 2027 and 2028 first-round picks and a 2027 fourth-rounder, receiving Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round selection from Tennessee.

Parsons’ reservations centered on the value of that package for a defensive tackle who is already 29 and playing on his third NFL contract.

He compared the situation with his own trade and Sauce Gardner’s, noting that both were still on their first contracts when they changed teams. Simmons represents a different calculation: an established star whose acquisition carries both a substantial draft cost and a veteran salary commitment. That distinction is fair to examine, even if Bears fans would prefer to keep watching the highlights from Seattle.

Parsons also argued that Simmons had been more expensive than Myles Garrett. That comparison needs context. Cleveland received Jared Verse alongside a first-, second- and third-round pick in the Garrett deal. Comparing the number of first-round selections alone leaves a significant player out of the equation.

Still, Parsons’ broader point was clear. Acquiring an excellent player and winning the transaction are separate judgments. The first can become apparent quickly. The second takes longer. His comments weren’t an attempt to dismiss Simmons’ ability. In fact, Parsons supplied a detail that made his respect particularly convincing.

When Parsons played in Dallas, he knew Simmons trained there during the offseason. He remembered trying to turn that proximity into something more permanent.

“Come to Dallas, bro. Can we make that work?” Parsons recalled asking him.

So the player now strengthening a division rival is someone Parsons previously wanted on his own defensive line. That makes his reaction more interesting than a Packers player reflexively criticizing a Bears move. He understands the appeal. He had already imagined the possibilities himself.

Parsons said Tennessee’s willingness to trade Simmons surprised him, but he could understand a struggling team deciding it needed the resources to start over. He also expressed respect for allowing a great player to move on when the desired team success wasn’t materializing.

Chicago had a different set of priorities.

At 7-2, the Bears are trying to capitalize on an opportunity that already exists. Simmons arrived to strengthen a defense that needed more disruption from its interior, and his early impact has extended beyond his own sacks.

He draws attention from protections, creates opportunities for teammates and gives Dennis Allen more options for generating pressure. Chicago has won both games since the trade, including a victory over Tampa Bay in which the defense repeatedly rescued the offense after turnovers.

Those results explain the excitement. They don’t settle the value of two future first-round picks. Eventually, Parsons reached a conclusion that Bears fans will find considerably easier to accept.

“It’s a good trade for the Bears,” he said.

Then came the complaint that sounded most like a player who has to live in the same division. “Adding another monster like that into the NFC North is unwarranted.”

There is the tension in Parsons’ assessment. He questions the investment while recognizing exactly what Chicago added.

The Bears are betting Simmons will make those future selections feel like an acceptable price for meaningful games won now and throughout his stay. Parsons wants to see how that wager develops before declaring a deadline champion.

But he doesn’t need convincing that Simmons can play. He tried recruiting him long before Poles managed to land him.