Bears land All-Pro DT Jeffery Simmons from Titans for two first-rounders

The Chicago Bears traded for Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons on Thursday, sending their 2027 and 2028 first-round picks and a 2027 fourth-round pick to Tennessee. Chicago also gets a 2028 fifth-round pick in the deal, which the Bears announced officially Thursday night. ESPN's NFL transactions log lists the trade. Simmons is due at Halas Hall on Friday.

What Chicago is getting

Simmons is 29, a three-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection with 44.5 career sacks, eight forced fumbles and 30 pass deflections. He is an interior rusher who forces offenses to plan protections around him, and the Bears had been shopping for exactly that. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said Chicago went hard at DeForest Buckner before the Colts sent him to San Francisco. Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi said Thursday that Bears GM Ryan Poles called Wednesday night to start the talks, and that Simmons now gets a chance to compete for a Super Bowl, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

To clear a spot on the 53-man roster, Chicago released defensive end Jamree Kromah.

The contract

Spotrac lists Simmons at $7.9 million guaranteed for the rest of 2026 and $26.9 million guaranteed in 2027. The deal then runs $29.8 million in 2028, $28 million in 2029 and $32 million in 2030, with a $74 million early-vesting guarantee through 2029. Tennessee paid him more than $99 million across seven-plus seasons, including $25.3 million for seven weeks of this one.

That guaranteed 2027 money is the point. Chicago is buying at least two full seasons of an elite defensive tackle, plus the rest of this one, and paying with picks that will land in the back half of the first round if this move works. Spotrac's list of defenders acquired for at least two first-rounders includes Micah Parsons, Sauce Gardner, Jalen Ramsey and Khalil Mack, who also came to Chicago.

What to watch next

The Bears face the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, and Seattle just added Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson in its own trade with Indianapolis. Chicago has not said whether Simmons will be ready to play Monday. Watch his first practice reps this week and the Bears' final injury report. If he suits up, the matchup against Nelson is the one to circle.