Bears Trade Two First-Round Picks for Jeffery Simmons

The Chicago Bears have traded two first-round draft picks and a fourth-rounder to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and a fifth-round selection, according to a person familiar with the deal.

The transaction involves the Bears surrendering their first-round picks for the 2027 and 2028 drafts. In return, the team will receive Simmons and a fifth-round pick in 2028. The individual spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been officially announced by either club.

Simmons is 29 years old and has recorded four sacks in the seven games played this season. Last year, he posted a career-high 11 sacks in 15 games, earning first-team All-Pro honors. His arrival addresses a defensive line that had been viewed as a weakness for the Bears.

Chicago currently holds a 5-2 record after winning two consecutive games. The team is chasing the undefeated Minnesota Vikings for the NFC North lead. The Bears play the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. Head coach Ben Johnson noted that the team won the division last season for the first time since 2018, finishing 11-6.

Last year’s playoff run ended with a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in overtime during the divisional round. The Bears had defeated the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card game. General manager Ryan Poles and Johnson view the trade as a move to strengthen the roster for a potential Super Bowl run, the franchise’s first since 1985.

Johnson said Wednesday that there is "a lot going on" with the trade deadline approaching on Nov. 10. He stated that he and Poles maintain constant dialogue about the team’s needs. "He’s turning over every stone that he possibly can to improve this football team just like he has ever since I’ve gotten in this building and I feel really good about our process," Johnson said.

Simmons said Wednesday that his daily goal remains focused on the present. "Each and every day I wake up, my goal is to just be where my feet are at," he said. "Never looking ahead right now, it’s just be in the moment, and that’s from each and every day, from game day, my goal just never changes. I don’t worry about the things I can’t control. Them types of things are a distraction."