The Chicago Bears have made strides recently under head coach Ben Johnson, but there's always room for improvement. The 2025 NFL trade deadline is coming up on Nov. 4, giving the Bears and general manager Ryan Poles to make any necessary improvements to bolster their playoff odds.
The Bears made a flurry of defensive additions this offseason, but the likes of Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett haven't stood out so far. Jarrett and the Bears agreed on a three-year, $42.75 million deal in free agency, but he has underwhelmed, to say the least. He's been dealing with a knee injury, which forced him to be a DNP in Thursday's practice. In three games for the Bears in 2025, he has four total tackles, three QB hits, but zero sacks and TFLs.
As for Odeyingbo, he's logged nine total tackles, three QB hits, and one sack.
Chicago could use more force on the defensive line, which is why GM Poles should call the Tennessee Titans regarding defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons' availability.
Bears Should Target Titans DT Jeffery Simmons for a Trade
The Titans are 1-4 on the season and will likely finish with one of the worst records in the league. They need help all across that team and could use an extra draft capital to improve that roster, especially if they want to clear space for the future. Simmons is one of their better players who will likely draw attention and would provide an upgrade to the Bears' defensive line.
In 89 career games, Simmons has amassed 331 total tackles, 55 tackles for loss, 75 quarterback hits, and 35 sacks. He's still an impactful player in 2025, logging 22 tackles, nine QB hits, six TFLs, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. According to Pro Football Focus, he has an 82.5 overall grade (9th among 186 graded defensive linemen) and a 90.8 pass-rush grade (2nd among 186 graded defensive linemen). He's already notched 24 total pressures and 15 hurries.
While he leaves some things to be desired in the run game (59.1 run-defense grade), Simmons is a disruptive pass rusher who can help a Chicago team that owns the 11th-worst PFF pass rush grade (66.3).
Simmons is getting after the quarterback at a high rate and is someone who would elevate this entire Bears unit. GM Poles should call Titans GM Mike Borgonz soon, especially due to their previous relationship. They crossed paths in Kansas City from 2009-2021, which could be something that makes negotiating a bit easier.
The Bears should look at every avenue to improve and targeting Simmons would be a great start.