The Jeffery Simmons trade has picked up an odd aftershock, and it centers on a call that apparently went well beyond the usual front-office lane.
Jonathan Jones of The Athletic reports that Giants coach John Harbaugh directly reached out to Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk in an effort to land Simmons for New York. That call reportedly came after Giants G.M.
Joe Schoen had already contacted Titans G.M. Mike Borgonzi about Simmons and was told the Titans were not trading him.
Jones says another G.M. who heard about the move said it “violates a code” among football decision-makers. One source in a key football position with one of the NFL’s teams went even further, calling the effort “shameful.”
The timing of Tennessee’s stance is also a little murkier than it first appeared. Borgonzi said Thursday that the Titans were not shopping Simmons until the Bears called on Wednesday night, but Jones reports that Tennessee’s “braintrust” met on Tuesday and decided to begin listening to offers for him.
What remains unclear is whether Harbaugh’s call to Adams came before or after Bears G.M. Ryan Poles put together the package that included two first-round picks. Jones reports that the Giants were prepared to offer more than what the Bears ultimately sent to Tennessee, though that’s easy to say in hindsight.
The whole episode is another reminder that relationships matter in NFL dealmaking. It was a topic discussed on Friday’s PFT Live, and the league has seen this kind of dynamic before.
In 2021, the Matthew Stafford trade from the Lions to the Rams carried a similar “inside job” feel, especially with Lions G.M. Brad Holmes having recently come over from Los Angeles.
Other teams expected to be in the Stafford mix were caught off guard when he was quietly and quickly sent to the Rams, who were able to include quarterback Jared Goff in the deal and add extra compensation to get Detroit to take on a contract the Rams had already started to regret after only two seasons. That trade later led former Commanders G.M. Martin Mayhew to call every team in the league the following offseason to ask whether their starting quarterback might be available.
The bigger issue in moves like this is whether the personal connection helps the team giving up the player get the best possible return. If the Giants really were ready to top the Bears’ offer, the question becomes whether Tennessee should have pushed harder to see what else was out there. In the end, the long-standing relationship between Poles and Borgonzi may have outweighed the effort to maximize the return for Simmons.
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Jeffery Simmons Revealed The Part Of Leaving Titans That Hurt Most
Jeffery Simmons did not sound like a player focused only on the football side of a major move. After being traded to the Chicago Bears, the defensive tackle opened up about how difficult it was to leave his family in Nashville, a personal layer to a deal that already carried plenty of weight for both teams.
Chicago paid a steep price to get him, sending two first-round picks to Tennessee, a clear sign the Bears believe Simmons can be a difference-maker as they chase a division title under coach Dennis Allen. He arrives with strong defensive production this season, but the emotional adjustment may be just as real as the football transition as he settles into a new locker room and a new city. [Read more 🡒]
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Singleton has had chances but has struggled with vision and awareness, while Marshall was passed over on the depth chart even when he had a shot to climb. Coogans situation is a little different, since injuries elsewhere have not translated into meaningful work for him. There is still time for all three to change the story before the season is over, but for now the Titans are waiting to see which rookie, if any, can finally turn a small opening into something more substantial. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Still Have 3 Reasons To Believe Against Cincinnati
Even after the close loss to Cleveland and the stunning trade of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears, there are still a few signs Tennessee is not simply limping into Week 8. The Titans have found a little more rhythm on the ground, and the offense has put up more points in back-to-back weeks, which at least suggests some progress as they get ready for Cincinnati.
The defense has also given the Titans something to hang onto, forcing five turnovers over the last two games and creating extra chances for an offense that has not had much margin for error. Cincinnati brings a dangerous attack, so Tennessee will need those recent positives to travel with it, but the broader picture is not as bleak as it might have looked a week ago. [Read more 🡒]