Bears Trade Two First-Round Picks for Jeffery Simmons — SkimNews
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- Chicago Bears, under general manager Ryan Poles, acquired Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 plus a 2027 fourth-rounder, with a 2028 fifth-rounder going to Tennessee; it is the first common-draft-era trade involving a defensive tackle for multiple first-round picks.
- Jeffery Simmons has 46.5 sacks since entering the NFL in 2019, second among defensive tackles, and leads the position this season in total pressures and run-stop EPA; his 399 snaps are the most by a defensive tackle as Chicago ranks 23rd in interior pass-rush win rate at 13%.
- Chicago Bears hold the NFL's second-best chance to win the NFC at 13% in ESPN Analytics' projections, behind the San Francisco 49ers' 39% and ahead of the Seattle Seahawks' 11%, after the Simmons acquisition.
- Chicago Bears have the NFL's best third-down defense, allowing a 26.1% conversion rate, but rank 32nd in defensive EPA per play, 32nd in explosive plays allowed and 27th in defensive success rate; analyst Ben Solak cited Simmons' run-pass impact as the remedy for that early-down gap.
- Tennessee Titans now hold first-rounders in 2027 and 2028, with ESPN's Football Power Index projecting Tennessee at No. 1 and the acquired Chicago pick at No. 26; offensive tackle and defensive line are the obvious needs around those selections.
- Chicago Bears will take on $7,944,444 of Simmons' remaining 2026 compensation; his fully guaranteed 2027 salary and option bonus total $26.95 million, with a $22.55 million cap charge and, if Simmons remains through the March 2028 deadline absent a renegotiation, a $30.9 million 2028 cap number.
- Tennessee Titans were not actively shopping Simmons, according to some league sources, while GM Mike Borgonzi received a Chicago offer he could not refuse; coach Robert Saleh had called Simmons the best defensive tackle in the league.
Why it matters: Chicago gains a defensive tackle with 46.5 sacks since 2019 while surrendering the 2027 and 2028 first-rounders. The cap bill is equally material: Simmons costs Chicago $22.55 million in 2027 and $30.9 million in 2028 if Simmons is retained through March 2028 without a restructure, while Tennessee receives two first-rounders after going 1-6.
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