Bears Land Jeffery Simmons for 2 First-Round Picks as Titans Bet on 6-10 New Players
Updated
Updated · Sports Illustrated · Oct 30
Bears Land Jeffery Simmons for 2 First-Round Picks as Titans Bet on 6-10 New Players
3 articles · Updated · Sports Illustrated · Oct 30
Summary
Two calls Wednesday evening between Bears GM Ryan Poles and Titans GM Mike Borgonzi turned long-running interest into a soft agreement by 8 p.m. CT, with Chicago sending 2027 and 2028 first-round picks plus a 2027 fourth.
Tennessee only engaged because Borgonzi trusted Poles to keep talks quiet and had already studied blockbuster deals, concluding Simmons was the one asset that could meaningfully accelerate the Titans' rebuild.
A 2028 fifth-rounder going to Chicago finalized the compensation, and Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk approved the move Thursday morning before Simmons and the locker room were informed.
Titans officials judged the return borderline unprecedented for an in-season trade, believing the added draft capital and cap space could yield 6 to 10 young players over the next few years.
Chicago made the push from a 5-2 start with a quarterback on a rookie deal, while 1-6 Tennessee accepted short-term pain to reshape a roster that may take years to rebuild.