The Chicago Bears solidified their playoff run on Thursday by landing one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles, sending All-Pro Jeffery Simmons on a big trip to the Tennessee Titans. Chicago is sending two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick to Tennessee for Simmons — who immediately revamps a defensive line that needs an interior push. The Bears received a 2028 fifth-round pick in the deal. By Adam Schefter.
It’s a big investment for the Bears, a sign the Titans need to rebuild on defense, and the success of this team depends on what Chicago can accomplish over the next three to four years.
Business grade for Chicago: B
This level is completely based on the assets provided in the agreement. Simmons is an incredible player, and arguably the best downfield pass rusher in football. Opponents of the Titans needn’t worry about anyone else, as he ranks 3rd among all DTs in 24 snaps this season.
He’ll pin him on the line with Kentavious Street against the Bears and really give the defense the beef they’ve been missing. The interior pass rush has become one of the key elements of success in the league recently, with all of the best teams pushing for the middle of the pocket to be destroyed quickly. We’ve seen high-end DTs get more value than the best EDGE rushers, and this trade is further evidence that the landscape of football has changed.
The rub here comes from what was left in the process. Simmons is worth a big-time trade, but there are two things in play:
In the end, this move could keep the Bears from making the playoffs a division or two short of what they thought they were, but potentially winning the Super Bowl. Considering Ben Johnson’s impressive offense and how Caleb Williams is running it, if they can get two or three more stops because of Simmons and win games by shooting it might be enough.
Business rating for Tennessee: A+
Losing a player of Simmons’ caliber hurts, but what are the Titans hoping to achieve right now? Keeping him on the roster for two more years is like having a Ferrari in your driveway while living in a house with no roof or foundation damage. I really like it when teams accept where they are in the process and look forward, rather than letting top-tier talent languish on a bad roster and ultimately leave for nothing.
Those draft picks will be at the back end of each round, but the Titans need to take a shot approach in the draft and acquire talent at many different positions so acquiring more assets is imperative. This is a great return for a player whose skills aren’t good enough to help a team with many issues.
