The Chicago Bears dropped a bombshell last week when they secured star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans for two 1st round picks and change. It is the biggest move the organization has made since the Khalil Mack blockbuster eight years ago. This time felt different, though. Unlike back then, the Bears have the quarterback and head coach in place to take full advantage of it. So one can understand why fans are so excited about the next few months.
That said, not everybody was happy about the outcome. Obviously, the rest of the NFC North doesn’t like it. However, one team seemed to go out of their way to prevent it from happening. It was reported last week that New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh bypassed Titans management to contact ownership directly, hoping they would stop GM Mike Borgonzi from negotiating only with the Bears. It goes even further than that. Easton Freeze of A-to-Z Sports has it on good authority that New York was trying to sabotage the trade by forcing it into the open.
They wanted to turn Jeffery Simmons against the Titans.
“Another fact, at least this is factually a common perception: That Giants’ building is hard to trust with delicate situations. New York is a very leaky part of the country in the NFL world. That makes New York a dubious partner sometimes. My belief is the Giants wanted a door opened to a bidding war so the news could get out. It’s the oldest trick in the book, turning a shopped trade over to the court of public opinion to sow internal discord between player and team. It’s all a leverage game. And it’s exactly why trust between Poles and Borgonzi mattered so much by Borgonzi’s own, repeated retelling of things.
That doesn’t mean Borgonzi only talked to Chicago, either. The sources driving this national story seem to be conflating the Giants being frozen out with the rest of the league being frozen out, which is awfully convenient to the Giants’ narrative. The Titans fielded calls on Simmons in the days and weeks leading up to the deal.”
Ryan Poles handled his part to perfection.
One thing you have to give the Bears’ general manager is that he understands the value of absolute secrecy. There are few things other organizations hate more than unwanted attention. That is what trades bring. The best way to earn trust in negotiations is to ensure that no one has any clue that discussions are taking place. Yes, he and Borgonzi have been friends for years. Even so, it was the knowledge that Poles didn’t let things slip out that helped talks unfold as they did.
Then you have the other factor in play. Unlike other teams, which tried the usual tactic of coming in with low offers to gauge what the Titans might settle for, Poles knew he had to show he was serious. He immediately opened with two 1st round picks as the offer. That immediately got the Titans’ attention. It said the Bears were serious about making a deal and doing so in a way that helped both sides avoid unwanted controversy. Chicago got the defensive star they desperately needed. Tennessee gets the resources necessary to fast-track a rebuild.
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As has become routine, New York misplayed their hand.
Let’s not forget this is the same organization that willingly traded away Dexter Lawrence in the offseason. They already had a stud defensive lineman and gave him away for a 1st round pick. They’re going to suddenly turn around and trade two 1st rounders for Jeffery Simmons? That one is a little hard to believe. This feels more like their attempt to force the Titans to lower their asking price by getting the trade out in public. Unfortunately, they miscalculated how quickly the Bears were able to move.
Now they come across looking whiny about not getting their way. Harbaugh didn’t make many friends with his greasy tactic of calling out Titans ownership, and an organization that already had a dubious reputation for professional courtesy took another hit. One can imagine they must’ve been fuming as Simmons tore through the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. Justice prevailed.
