Hot Take Tuesday is coming at you a few days late, thanks to an illness that had me at death’s door earlier in the week. I’ll spare you the details, but I think I felt about how Jabba the Hutt looks. Wasn’t sure when I was going to surface, but I started ticking up Thursday and Friday and was trying to get back into the swing. It makes it a lot easier to get some motivation to sit down at a keyboard when the Chicago Bears go out and trade for Jeffery Simmons.
Let’s say it loud and clear for the Green
Bay Packers fans in the back: the Chicago Bears are set up to win a Super Bowl.
They have taken their chips and pushed them to the middle of the table. They have placed a bet on Ben Johnson, they have placed a bet on Caleb Williams, and they have placed a bet that they have everything they need to win it all.
Guess what? I think they’re right.
What’s great about this all-in move is that it’s not a sacrificial all-in move. The Bears are still set up really well for the next few years. The Bears won’t have first-round picks the next two years, that’s true, but if the Bears are as good as I think they are, those picks are probably going to be in the last four picks of the first round; hopefully it will be quite literally the last pick.
If the Bears gave up the 32nd pick for Jeffery Simmons, who’s complaining? Hell, they already gave up the 32nd pick once upon a time for Chase Claypool. Draft capital is critical for rebuilding teams; clinging to first-round picks doesn’t matter nearly as much when you are picking in the late 20s or early 30s. It’s time to rewire your brain.
I know, first we had to rewire our brains to understand what it was like to have an actual quarterback in Caleb Williams. Then we had to rewire our brains to understand what it’s like to have an offensive genius as a coach with Ben Johnson. Now it’s time to rewire our brains and understand how to operate as a winning franchise.
The LA Rams say F them picks. Why? Because trading away picks in the 20s for star players is a far better hit rate on those picks than picking a player. The Rams don’t actually say F them picks. They say F them first-round picks. They always have plenty of day 2 and day 3 picks, and they draft well and find plenty of quality players with those picks. Then they use trades and go out and get the likes of Matthew Stafford, Myles Garrett, Davante Adams, etc.
I understand the Rams are having a trainwreck season (for now), but their sustained success over the last several years has been something we’ve all witnessed.
If the Bears have the same mindset, I’m all for it.
The Bears have a Super Bowl-caliber head coach.
The Bears have a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback.
The Bears have a Super Bowl-caliber offense.
And now, the Bears have a Super Bowl-caliber defense.
How good is this defense going to be? That’s hard to tell, but Simmons isn’t just adding an excellent player into the mix. He’s a multiplier. He’s one of the most double-teamed players in the NFL. Which means less attention to the other three linemen, which gives them consistently winnable one-on-one situations. Simmons, despite those double teams, will still make plenty of impact plays each game. And his presence will allow those other linemen to make their share as well.
When the line is this far improved, it improves the back seven as well. Devin Bush will stop getting tied down with blockers because they’ll all be blocking Simmons. He will be able to make more plays. The Bears will be able to bring more pressure without blitzing, allowing more defenders to roam the secondary. The Bears will be giving QBs less time to throw, which means less of a chance to expose their weaker coverage players.
Everyone on the defense just got better thanks to Jeffery Simmons.
Is Ryan Poles done adding? I think there’s a strong chance we see one or two more moves that probably only involve day three picks, but yes, Khalil Mack can be had for a day 3 pick.
I would love to see the Bears add Mack, and I would love to see the Bears add a solid CB into their secondary. But even if this is the only move they make, it was one hell of a move.
Well done, Ryan Poles.
The Chicago Bears have put the league on notice. Their time is now.
And as Jake Taylor in Major League said, there’s only one thing left to do…
Win the whole f*ckin’ thing.
