The biggest trade of the 2026 season is done. The Tennessee Titans have agreed to trade All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears for two first-round picks. The teams agreed on Thursday morning, Oct. 29, pending a physical.
The trade
| Bears get | Titans get |
|---|---|
| DT Jeffery Simmons | 2027 first-round pick |
| 2028 fifth-round pick | 2028 first-round pick |
| 2027 fourth-round pick |
"As far as I know, I am going to be here"
The timing surprised everyone, including Simmons. On Wednesday, he told reporters: "As far as I know, I am going to be here." He said he hadn’t heard anything from his agent or the team, and called the trade talk "a distraction."
Less than 24 hours later, he was a Bear.
Who is Jeffery Simmons?
| Jeffery Simmons | |
|---|---|
| Age | 29 |
| Drafted | No. 19 overall in 2019 by Tennessee |
| Honors | 4 Pro Bowls, first-team All-Pro (2025), 5-time team captain |
| 2025 | Career highs: 11 sacks, 17 tackles for loss |
| 2026 (7 games) | 4 sacks, 24 pressures, 1 forced fumble |
According to PFF, he is the fifth-best interior pass rusher in the NFL this season.
The money
In June, the Titans gave Simmons a three-year, $105.8 million extension, which made him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.
- Chicago takes on the rest of his $13 million salary for this season and his $26.95 million guaranteed salary in 2027.
- Tennessee keeps $21.2 million in dead money on its 2027 salary cap.
Why the Bears did it
Chicago is 5-2 and one of the NFC’s best teams. Adding a disruptive interior pass rusher makes the defense much harder to block. Two first-round picks is a big price, but the Bears’ picks should be late in each round if they keep winning.
Simmons could debut quickly: Chicago plays at Seattle on Monday night in Week 8.
Why the Titans did it
Tennessee is 1-6 and rebuilding. With the Bears’ 2027 pick added to their own, the Titans now have two first-round picks in 2027, and their own pick is currently No. 2 in the draft order.
Team owner Amy Adams Strunk said: "There are few people like Jeff Simmons."
Who’s next?
Athlon Sports reports that Tennessee could also move edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II and running back Tony Pollard before the Nov. 10 deadline. Follow every deal in our NFL trade tracker.
Sources: Tennessee Titans, Athlon Sports, CBS Sports, NBC Sports / PFT.
