Voltar
The Chicago Bears have pulled off the blockbuster trade for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons that fans were hoping for.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bears are sending the Tennessee Titans 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, and a 2027 fourth-rounder in exchanage for Simmons and a 2028 fifth-rounder.
The Bears were in clear need of defensive tackle help before making this trade.
Chicago's run defense ranks third in the NFL, but that's largely a product of the Bears facing the second-fewest rushing attempts in the NFL, which is a result of the Bears playing with leads and dominating time of possession.
The Bears are giving up the 10th-most rushing yards per tote and rank 26th in run stop win rate, according to ESPN.
Another issue is the interior pass-rush. The Bears have not been able to replace the sack production lost by the Gervon Dexter trade, as evidenced by the team getting just one sack from its interior defensive linemen this season.
Simmons was a first-round pick of the Titans back in 2019 out of Mississippi State.
There was some doubts about where he would land in the draft that year because he suffered a torn ACL while training for pre-draft workouts, otherwise he might have gone higher.
The Titans ended up using the No. 19 overall pick on him and that proved to be a massive steal, as Simmons has become one of the elite players at his position eight seasons.
A four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Simmons is one of the very best interior defensive linemen in the NFL.
In 2026, Simmons has racked up four sacks and 24 pressures, which rank fifth and third at his position, per Pro Football Focus. His 80.5 pass-rush grade ranks fifth, also.
In run defense, Simmons has notched 20 run stops, which is the highest mark in the NFL among interior defensive linemen. His PFF grade of 70 in run defense is the 15th-best at the position.
Along with his obvious skills against the run and pass, Simmons brings a high level of nasty with him that will bring an extra edge to Chicago's defense alongside Grady Jarrett.
The Bears will be getting a highly-motivated player in Simmons, who has experienced a lot of losing in Tennessee, something he has regularly expressed frustration in.
Simmons enjoyed three winning seasons with the Titans over his first three years in the NFL, but Tennessee hasn't had a winning season since then and has been one of the worst teams in the league in that span.
Now, Simmons goes to Chicago, where he has a legitimate shot to win a Super Bowl, partly because of how big of a boost he will provide to Chicago's defense.