Ever since Ryan Poles became GM, the Bears have been talking about getting that interior pass rusher who makes everything work faster for their defense.

They said it constantly when Matt Eberflus was coach, and now Ben Johnson has this rare NFL commodity known as the dominant defensive tackle. They didn't have to bring someone back from retirement who might not have it anymore, like the Rams did. They didn't have to wait for a long-term development like so many young defensive tackles require in the NFL.

Acquiring Jeffery Simmons from Tennessee for two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder seems beyond belief for several reasons but it actually happened, and now the Bears can throw a defensive line of Montez Sweat, Jeffery Simmons, Grady Jarrett and Austin Booker at opposing quarterbacks, with an occasion slot blitz by Kyler Gordon. Jordan Love, Jared Goff and Kyler Murray better run for cover.

The Bears secondary might actually look good again now in coverage with that kind of interior pressure coming for quarterbacks. Simmons has been the sixth-best pass-rushing defensive tackle or better according to Pro Football Focus grades in each of the last three years and No. 1 in 2025. He's currently graded fifth. They might be able to stop the run better, too, as Simmons usually came in as a top 25 defensive tackle against the run. He has four seasons with double-digit tackles for loss and is working well toward his fifth.

Jeffery Simmons 10 Fastest Sacks since 2024: pic.twitter.com/WSpz3hnfHE

— Ryan Paganetti (@RyanPaganetti) October 29, 2026

Everyone who wanted a blockbuster move fro Poles must be elated with the trade for Simmons. This truly does seem like Poles' version of the Khalil Mack 2018 trade made by Poles' predecessor, Ryan Pace.

Drawbacks

And yet, there is a real fear they've done something they could regret in the future. Losing two first-round picks can never help a team build.

No one's questioning whether Jeffery Simmons is a great player.

But if you're the Packers, Vikings, Lions: Do you more dread facing the All-Pro DT on the field, or do you more love that the Bears are surrendering two firsts (and 4th/5th swap) for a 29-year-old interior DL?

— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) October 29, 2026

Moves of this type so often in recent years have failed to pan out for the team making the trade.

How has that Myles Garrett trade worked out for the Rams? How has Aaron Donald's return worked out for them, for that matter?

Bears DE Montez Sweat and DT Jeffery Simmons were teammates at Mississippi State

Now they get to chase a Super Bowl together. Pretty cool pic.twitter.com/hutHlE0pzc

— Dave (@davebftv) October 29, 2026

How did the Micah Parsons trade work out for the Packers? It still might, but at least right now it hasn't done a thing for them.

For that matter, how did the Mack trade work out for the Bears? He had one great year, they double-doinked their way out of the postseason and after that he battled minor injuries and played on a fading defense before being traded to the Chargers.

Jeffery Simmons is about 1.5 years younger than Quenton Nelson.

Simmons goes for two 1s and a 4

Nelson goes for a 3 and a 5

I’m all ears if someone believes those values make sense! On the surface, I’ll take the value with the Nelson deal. https://t.co/33nhvrLRB0

— Ben Cummins (@BenCumminsFF) October 29, 2026

Sometimes it works. The Rams acquired Von Miller in 2021 before their run to a Super Bowl ring.

Miller is also 29 years old already. How long can a top defensive tackle flourish in his 30s? It seems a position where they can play effectively into their mid 30s but Grady Jarrett hasn't hit the level with the Bears that he was at in Atlanta and he's 33.

It needs to work out in the short term for the Bears both because of this and because it's obvious they feel this team is built to win a Super Bowl now.

Compensation Return

Myles Garrett Jeffery Simmons

- Jared Verse - 1st-Round Pick
- 2027 1st-Round Pick - 1st-Round Pick
- 2028 2nd-Round Pick - 4th-Round Pick
- 2029 3rd-Round Pick pic.twitter.com/CNwLuHpsje

— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) October 29, 2026

The salary cap ramifications of this move are such that in the longer term Sweat most likely won't be here next year and neither would players like Jarrett, Dayo Odeyingbo, Jaylon Johnson and maybe a few others. Getting Caleb Williams his contract extension while also having the $105 million Simmons contract on the books is going to require a lot of retooling on their defense in the future and they'd have to win then with young, cheaper players.

If it does what it's supposed to do, though, no one will care. What is a Super Bowl worth?

When's the last time that trading multiple 1st round picks for a non-QB worked out really well for the team that got the player?

— Nick Korte (@nickkorte) October 29, 2026

That trophy case in the Halas Hall lobby has never looked closer to getting another added since Devin Hester put the Bears in the lead 20 seasons ago to start Super Bowl XLI.

Then again, the fear generated by past failed big moves says the Bears may have hurt their chances of putting together long-term success simply to take one shot.

After 41 years without winning one, no one can begrudge Poles and Ben Johnson taking their shot.

Having Williams and Johnson together in the building makes it so they can always have chances by simply adding a few pieces in the right place. It's how New England operated in the Brady years.The Rams are an example of this. Kansas City is an example of it, and Poles came from Kansas City.

Let the sacks and the winning commence.

BREAKING NEWS: Bears trade two first-round draft picks (No. 32 overall in 2027 and 2028) for Titans All-Pro DT Jeffery Simmons.

— Mark Potash (@MarkPotash) October 29, 2026