Position value in the NFL matters more than it ever has. Top interior linemen can change defenses on a dime when playing compared to quality linebackers and safeties.

When the Tennessee Titans opted to trade All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons on Thursday, they did so knowing they were parting ways with not only their best player, but with a star in a key position of their defense.

For the Chicago Bears, it didn't matter that Simmons cost two first-round picks. His star power alone could turn the Bears into a Super Bowl favorite.

A blockbuster trade like this will naturally affect many organizations around the league. For the New York Jets, the trade remains a major win for their front office.

One that shows they are finally heading in the right direction.

Jets' front office in spotlight after blockbuster trade

Tennessee was smart to get two first-round picks out of the best player on the roster. The Jets were in a similar situation last season, when they sent Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for a pair of first-round picks.

But it's that Gardner trade specifically that highlights how much better off the Jets are compared to the Titans.

Tennessee moved Simmons to a sure-fire NFL contender. Chicago is in second place in the AFC North, but remains extremely talented and well coached with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams leading the way. Over the next two years, the Titans' first round picks from Chicago are most likely going to pick in the later parts of the first round. While that can allow them to be flexible, it does take them out of elite prospects.

The same cannot be said for the Jets. When New York made the Gardner deal with Indianapolis, the Colts were 7-1. But they were also led by Daniel Jones, not a former top overall pick like Williams is in Chicago.

As things stand, the Jets are projected to have a top-10 pick from the Colts this season after their abysmal 2-5 start. If New York and Indianapolis continue to struggle, there's a good chance the Jets could own two picks in the top five overall selections in the 2027 draft.

It's significantly different from what the Titans will be dealing with in a post-Simmons world.

That's also not even counting the fact that the Jets also own the Dallas Cowboys' first-round pick as well this year. Dallas could very well finish below .500 and give New York another pick in the top 10.

Where star players are traded can matter just as much to rebuilding teams as the decision itself. In the case of the Jets, they are in a much better situation because of their trade with the Colts compared to the Titans shipping Simmons out to Chicago.