Voltar
The Chicago Bears were rumored to be heavily involved in the defensive lineman trade market, and those rumors came to fruition on Thursday morning.
They pulled off a blockbuster trade that saw them land four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. They sent two first-round picks and a fourth-round selection to Tennessee for the game-wrecking defensive tackle.
It's clear the Bears are going all-in on a Super Bowl run, and that sentiment was echoed throughout the league on Wednesday. NFL insider Jordan Schultz said he received a text from an NFC general manager that read as the following:
"Respect to the Bears for doing that. That offense with this defense now makes them a Super Bowl roster for this year and for years to come without a doubt.”
The Bears shipping off the draft picks they did to acquire him might seem like they're only focused on this season, but that's not the case. The move sets up their defensive line for success in the future, as Simmons is still only 29 and locked into his contract through the 2030 campaign.
Simmons has been one of the league's best defensive tackles since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2019. He has three All-Pro nods and four Pro Bowl appearances under his belt.
Notably, he's also coming off the best season of his career in his age-28 campaign, as he put up career highs in sacks (11), TFLs (17), and forced fumbles (3) despite missing two games. Simply put, he's the type of player that will open up other opportunities for those around him.
The 29-year-old has also gotten off to an extremely strong start this season. He has four sacks and six TFLs over the first seven games.
While it remains unclear whether Simmons will make his debut on Monday night against Seattle or next week against Tampa Bay, it's safe to assume he'll pick up right where he left off in Tennessee. The only difference is that he'll have some more help on the offensive side of the ball.
Chicago now has a long runway for success, as they added one of the league's best interior threats on top of already having one of the most potent offenses. Simmons really might be the final piece that gets them over the top.