Bears trade two first-rounders for Simmons

The Chicago Bears sent two first-round draft picks to the Tennessee Titans to acquire All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. A person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday that the trade is complete, though the teams had not yet made it official.

Chicago surrendered its first-round selections in 2027 and 2028, along with a fourth-round pick in next year's draft. In exchange, the Bears received Simmons and a fifth-round pick in 2028. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because the transaction had not been publicly announced.

Simmons, 29, has recorded four sacks in seven games this season. He earned first-team All-Pro honors last year after setting a career high with 11 sacks in 15 games. His arrival strengthens a defensive line that had been described as questionable before the trade.

The Bears are 5-2 after winning two consecutive games under quarterback Caleb Williams. They are chasing the undefeated Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North. The team will play at Seattle on Monday night. Last season, the Bears won the division for the first time since 2018. They finished with an 11-6 record in head coach Ben Johnson's first year.

Chicago advanced to the divisional round last year after beating the Green Bay Packers in a wild-card game. They lost to the Los Angeles Rams in overtime in the round. The high cost of the Simmons trade suggests Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles believe the roster is ready to compete for the franchise's first Super Bowl title since 1985.

Johnson acknowledged activity around the trade deadline, which closes on Nov. 10. When asked about his role in the decision, he stated, “That’s certainly Ryan’s domain, and yet we have constant dialogue of what this team needs and where we can impact ourselves not just this year but years in the future as well.” He added, “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. We’ll see what happens.”

Simmons addressed the potential move on Wednesday. He said, “Each and every day I wake up, my goal is to just be where my feet are at,” adding, “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.”