Why the Titans Finally Dealt Jeffery Simmons to Chicago
The Chicago Bears acquired defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round pick from the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, sending Tennessee a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick. This is a huge acquisition for Chicago, and the Detroit Lions now share a division with it.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that Chicago pushed for Indianapolis Colts tackle DeForest Buckner first and pivoted to Simmons once the Titans decided Chicago’s offer had climbed to a number they could no longer turn down.
Why the Titans finally said yes
Schultz laid out the sequence on X.
“The Bears, according to multiple sources, made a push for DeForest Buckner as well, but didn’t feel comfortable with the draft capital Indy wanted.
Instead, they then pivoted to arguably the best DT in football in Simmons, with the feeling that he changes the entire complexion of the defense and makes them a bona fide Super Bowl threat.
After hearing from as many as 3 other teams inquiring on Simmons, the Titans simply felt that Chicago’s offer had reached a price where ‘we could not say no anymore.’
That’s when this thing became serious, and that’s why it happened so quickly.”
Jordan Schultz
Buckner went from the Colts to the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Two days later, an interior defensive lineman cost two first-round picks. The Simmons trade totally reset the market.
What Chicago has in Jeffery Simmons
Simmons played in seven games for Tennessee this season. He recorded 38 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and four pass deflections. He is 29 years old, and after the 2026 NFL season concludes he will still be under contract with Chicago for another four seasons, through 2030. The Bears are in win-now mode.
How this trade affects the Detroit Lions market
If the Detroit Lions now want a big named player like Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders, the asking price has been two first-round picks. That is the package the Raiders had lined up from the Baltimore Ravens in March before Baltimore backed out. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on “The Pat McAfee Show” that the Crosby talks have “lost a little bit of steam” and that he does not think Las Vegas is getting that return now. With Chicago getting better on this day, would Detroit be willing to risk it for another pass rusher?
It is understandable that Detroit needs help in the secondary, especially at cornerback. The Lions are allowing 297.4 passing yards per game, the worst mark in the league. With that being said, general manager Brad Holmes has until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 10 to decide what to do. Do they want to go after guys who are expensive or players who have more reasonable prices? That is a decision that the Lions and Holmes will have to make.
Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.