Well, it finally happened. The Chicago Bears are officially all-in, with general manager Ryan Poles kicking the tires on the trade deadline by acquiring superstar defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans.
The Bears will part ways with two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder to get their hands on the best defensive tackle in business. More than that, they should end all complaints about Gervon Dexter Sr.'s breakout year in Atlanta.
This team had a glaring weakness in the interior of the defensive line, and they've addressed it with a true superstar. More importantly, this isn't even a rental, as he's under contract through the 2030 season.
The Chicago Bears are officially all-in with Jeffery Simmons
Simmons has been the lone bright spot in an otherwise forgettable Titans team this season. He's got 4.0 sacks in just seven games, adding 38 total tackles (20 solo), six tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, four passes defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 24 pressures, and a league-leading 20 run stops.
He's probably the best defensive tackle in the league, and with the Bears reportedly swinging and missing on DeForest Buckner, they had to be extra aggressive to get him to the Windy City. It came at a steep price, but that's the type of move you do when you're knocking on the door of the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Even with an injured Kyle Monangai and after Cole Kmet's season-ending injury, Ben Johnson has more than enough resources on offense. There's no doubt that they can hold their own against the best of them in a shootout.
The defense, however, has overachieved through the first seven games of the season, and they probably didn't have enough talent to sustain this turnaround. They do now, with Simmons shutting down the interior next to Grady Jarrett, who's been better this season after a disappointing first year with the organization.
The Bears are giving Coach Johnson the ultimate vote of confidence. Not having a first-round pick in consecutive drafts is a huge blow, especially given how stacked the class of 2027 is. That said, it's not like this team has many glaring holes right now.
Simmons is a disruptive pass rusher who can also stuff the run like the best of them, and while the Bears should still find some help in coverage, this might be a season-altering move if we've seen one. Da Bears are back!
| More Bears on DaWindyCity |
Add us as a preferred source on Google