The Chicago Bears are in position to buy at the trade deadline, and the timing lines up with a real problem on their roster. They’re 4-2 and just got Caleb Williams back from injury, but the defense still has a glaring need up front. Even with Montez Sweat suspended and Dayo Odeyingo on the IR, the interior defensive line can still be argued as just as big an issue as the edge rush spot.
That’s why Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons has emerged as a name to watch. Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports ranked Simmons as the No. 2 player who needs a change of scenery at the deadline, and while he also said Simmons may not actually be moved, he pointed to Chicago as the best fit.
“Simmons is the longest-tenured Titan and the emotional leader of this team,” wrote Dajani. “He just signed a three-year, $105.8 million extension four months ago. It doesn't seem likely that he's moved, but Simmons would be talked about like one of the best players in the NFL if he were wrecking games for a contender.”
From a football fit standpoint, the case is easy to make. Simmons is an upfield penetrator with the kind of size Dennis Allen wants on the inside. That skill set matches what Chicago needs along the defensive front.
The production is already there, too. Simmons earned first-team All-Pro honors last season, and he has four sacks in six games this year. He’s also drawing heavy respect across the league.
“Through six weeks of the NFL season, there is no defensive lineman creating more value against the run than Simmons,” wrote Ben Solak of ESPN, when discussing the chances of Simmons being a defensive player of the year candidate.
If the Bears could land him, Simmons would immediately become the biggest impact player on that defense and change the look of the unit right away. The obstacle is everything that comes with a player of his caliber.
Because he’s under contract beyond this season and is making a Defensive Player of the Year case, the cost would be steep. Chicago would need to give up significant draft capital and make the salary cap numbers work.
In Other News...
Caleb Williams Leap Just Put Ben Johnson In A Tough Spot
Caleb Williams is making the Bears passing game look far more stable than it did a year ago. Through three starts in 2026, he leads the NFL with a 72.5% completion rate, and he just posted a franchise-record 83.3% completion in a recent game, a sign of how comfortable hes becoming in Chicagos offense.
The problem for Ben Johnson is that the rest of the attack is not nearly as settled. Injuries to key offensive players are already forcing the coaching staff to think carefully about how much weight to put on Williams arm and how to keep the offense balanced when the supporting cast is less certain. The quarterbacks leap is real, but the Bears still have to figure out how to make it hold up around him. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Williams Has Put The Bears In A Real MVP Debate
A few weeks into the season, Caleb Williams has done enough to put himself in an unexpected conversation. Even with the stop-and-start nature of his year, his play when healthy has been strong enough that ESPNs Ben Solak is arguing the Bears quarterback belongs in the MVP discussion, which is not where anyone expected this to be headed so early.
The catch is obvious enough: Williams has not had the kind of uninterrupted availability that usually drives an award case, and that can matter just as much as production. Solak points to Jalen Hurts 2022 race as a reminder of how missed time can tilt the vote, even when a quarterbacks performance is good enough to keep him in the mix, and that is the tension hanging over Williams now. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Defense Looks Real But One Deadline Move Could Change Everything
The Bears defense has done enough early on to make people take it seriously, but the secondary remains the part that can still get exposed. Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson have both had their rough stretches, and when that back end is shaky, the rest of the unit can only cover for so much. It is the kind of issue that tends to linger until a front office finds a fix, especially with the season moving toward the point where roster holes become harder to hide.
One possible answer sits in the trade market, where a veteran corner could give Chicago some immediate help without requiring a long-term commitment. The fit makes sense on paper because he has still been active this season and has shown enough playmaking to matter, which is exactly the sort of profile the Bears could use if they want to keep this defense from being undone by one vulnerable spot. If Chicago is going to stay aggressive about building around this defense, the next move may be the one that tells the real story. [Read more 🡒]