Bears Trade Two First-Round Picks for Titans DT Jeffery Simmons
Chicago went all in at 5-2, paying a price no general manager has paid for a defensive tackle before, while the 49ers brought Buckner back from Indianapolis.
The Chicago Bears have made the biggest move of the NFL trade season. They are acquiring Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons for two first-round picks, a price Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi said he had to think about before saying yes.
The Trade Terms
Chicago sends the Titans a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick. In return, the Bears get Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Bears GM Ryan Poles is the first general manager to trade two first-rounders for a defensive tackle, and Chicago's package is its biggest since the 2018 Khalil Mack deal. Reports said the trade is pending Simmons' physical.
Borgonzi said he consulted coach Robert Saleh and owner Amy Adams-Strunk and called the move "a great opportunity" for Simmons to compete for a Super Bowl. The Titans are 1-6.
What Chicago Gets
Simmons is 29 and a four-time Pro Bowler with 46.5 sacks in eight seasons, including a career-high 11 last year and four this season. He has nine quarterback hits and six tackles for loss in seven games, per Yahoo Sports, and has played 87 percent of Tennessee's snaps. Pro Football Focus ranks him the sixth-best pass rusher among defensive tackles.
The Bears are 5-2 and have started three different quarterbacks this season. The pass rush has been a worry, especially with Montez Sweat's two-game suspension and Dayo Odeyingbo on injured reserve. Simmons will line up next to Grady Jarrett.
The Contract
The Titans gave Simmons a three-year, $105.8 million extension in June. Chicago owes him $7.9 million for the rest of 2026. On the other side, Tennessee takes on dead cap hits of $14.1 million this year and $20.8 million in 2027, according to Spotrac.
Buckner Goes Back to San Francisco
A second defensive tackle changed teams. The 49ers are reacquiring DeForest Buckner from the Colts for a 2027 fourth-round pick, AP reported. Buckner is 32, a three-time Pro Bowler, and has been productive this season after neck surgery cut short his 2025. The deal also hinges on a physical.
What It Means
Chicago's next test comes quickly: the Bears play the defending-champion Seahawks on Monday night, one of the games in our NFL Week 8 guide. Other names in the deadline rumor mill are covered there, and you can track last week's availability in the Week 7 injury report.
For another blockbuster deadline-season move, see how the Devils landed Connor Hellebuyck. New to how these deals work? Our guides to NFL scoring and how the NFL Draft works explain why two first-round picks is such a big price.
Follow the rest of the season in our NFL coverage.
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Background from Wikipedia
Jeffery Simmons
Jeffery Bernard Simmons Jr. (born July 28, 1997) is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Bears give up for Jeffery Simmons?
The Bears sent a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Titans. Tennessee also sends Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round pick to Chicago.
How good is Jeffery Simmons?
Simmons is 29 and a four-time Pro Bowler with 46.5 career sacks in eight seasons, including a career-high 11 last year and four so far this season. Pro Football Focus rates him the sixth-best pass rusher among defensive tackles.
What is Jeffery Simmons' contract?
The Titans gave him a three-year, $105.8 million extension in June. The Bears owe him $7.9 million for the rest of this season.
Who did the 49ers trade for?
The 49ers are bringing back DeForest Buckner from the Colts for a 2027 fourth-round pick, according to AP. The deal cannot be finalized until Buckner passes a physical.
Sources & Official Resources
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