The Chicago Bears tried to trade for DeForest Buckner earlier this week to help at defensive tackle. They didn’t like the asking price, according to reports. He eventually went for a 4th round pick to San Francisco. General manager Ryan Poles decided enough was enough. He called old friend Mike Borgonzi in Tennessee and made him an offer for star Jeffery Simmons he couldn’t refuse: two 1st round picks and a 4th round pick. It stunned the NFL world. Giving up that much for a player who, while definitely great, was 29 years old felt like a risk.
Poles didn’t care. He knew his team was close to being Super Bowl-ready. All they needed was a lynchpin on defense to bring everything together. Simmons is the best defensive tackle in the NFL. The price was worth it if he kept playing the way he has all season. On Monday Night Football in front of a national audience, people were eager to see what he’d bring to the table. They witnessed what may be one of the best team debuts by a traded player in NFL history.
- 6 tackles
- 1 sack
- 1 QB hit
- 2 tackles for a loss
- 1 pass defended
The Bears may have gotten Jeffery Simmons for cheap.
Remember, the price they paid for him was done without Tennessee ever really making it known that he was available. If other teams had been aware of this fact, they almost certainly would’ve jumped into the bidding. It is possible the Titans could’ve gotten more. Instead, Poles wisely entered the negotiations with an immense offer that Borgonzi understandably couldn’t turn down. His team is going nowhere and badly needs resources to begin retooling the roster. Simmons will likely be past his prime by the time they’re competitive again. It was a smart decision for all parties.
You can already tell that Jeffery Simmons has transformed this defense. With him in the middle, others along the defensive line immediately benefited. Montez Sweat had a sack and 3 quarterback hits. He would’ve had two more sacks if not for penalties on the secondary. Austin Booker had a tipped pass that was intercepted. All of it stemmed from Seattle struggling to contain Simmons. That is entirely the reason the Bears traded for him, and they’d do so a thousand times again if asked.
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This team is as complete as it’s been in decades.
There has never been a time in recent memory when the Bears had pieces from top to bottom like now. They have the head coach, the quarterback, weapons, and now a defense with a true star at its center. This roster is finally well-balanced. Dominating the defending Super Bowl champions in their own building was as big a statement as anybody has seen this year. There is no getting around the truth. This team can play with anybody and can beat anybody. The only lingering concern was whether the defense could carry its weight.
Not anymore.
Simmons changes the entire equation. He is one of the few true force multipliers in the NFL. He makes everyone around him better because he can play the game with equal parts dominance and intelligence. It isn’t just about blocking him. You have to account for all the little tricks he pulls on top of that. Tricks that can’t possibly be predicted. It is a nightmare to deal with.
