Titans Trade All-Pro Jeffery Simmons to Bears in Blockbuster Deal
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
Tennessee sends the dominant defensive tackle to Chicago for a haul of draft picks as the Titans struggle to a 1-6 start.
As Sportsnet first reported, the Chicago Bears are acquiring All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons in a trade with the Tennessee Titans. The move was first reported by Tom Pelissero of The Ringer and Netflix.
In exchange for the 29-year-old defensive lineman, the Titans will receive two first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028, along with a fourth-round selection in 2027. As part of the agreement, the Bears will acquire a fifth-round pick in 2028, Sportsnet reports.
Simmons has been a cornerstone of the Tennessee defense since the team selected him 19th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound tackle is coming off a career-best season in which he recorded 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three pass deflections. Across 106 games with the Titans, Simmons accumulated 414 total tackles, 46.5 sacks, and nine forced fumbles, Sportsnet notes.
The trade comes as Tennessee faces a difficult start to the season, posting a 1-6 record in a weak AFC South division. Conversely, Chicago enters the deal with a 5-2 record. While the Bears' offense currently ranks sixth in the league for scoring, their defense is also performing at a high level, tying for ninth in points allowed with 143, according to Sportsnet.
Simmons could make his debut for Chicago as early as Monday in a road game against the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks have also been active in the trade market, having acquired three-time first-team all-pro guard Quenton Nelson from the Colts earlier this week, Sportsnet reports.