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Bears Trade for Jeffery Simmons, Boost Defensive Line

By Drooid · Oct 29, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

The Chicago Bears acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans.
Chicago sent 2027 and 2028 first-round picks plus a 2027 fourth-rounder, receiving a 2028 fifth-round pick.
Simmons signed a three-year, $105.8 million extension in June, guaranteeing $100 million.
It is the first defensive tackle traded for multiple first-round picks since 1967.
Titans GM Mike Borgonzi said the offer was too good to pass up, accelerating their three-year rebuild.

Summary

Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk praised Simmons’ charitable work with the Give ‘Em A Reason Foundation.
The Give ‘Em A Reason Foundation has helped families in Middle Tennessee and Mississippi.
Simmons said he did not expect a trade and packed a go-bag in case.
The trade is pending a physical examination before it becomes official.
Simmons’ extension makes him the highest-paid defensive tackle in league history.

History

Aaron Donald’s 2018 six-year, $135 million extension—later bolstered by a $40 million add-on in June 2022—made him the first non-quarterback to average over $30 million per season and set a benchmark for interior-line pay. That precedent underlies the Chicago Bears’ 2024 trade for Jeffery Simmons, a deal that surrenders two future first-round picks and mirrors the valuation pressure sparked by Donald’s contract.

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Aaron Donald’s 2018 six-year, $135 million extension—later bolstered by a $40 million add-on in June 2022—made him the first non-quarterback to average over $30 million per season and set a benchmark for interior-line pay. That precedent underlies the Chicago Bears’ 2024 trade for Jeffery Simmons, a deal that surrenders two future first-round picks and mirrors the valuation pressure sparked by Donald’s contract.

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