It may have been 10 days since the Chicago Bears last played a game. Still, the front office kept things interesting on Thursday when they executed a blockbuster deal to bring All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to Chicago ahead of next week’s trade deadline. With the added momentum of a two-game winning streak and a much-needed mini-bye week in the rearview mirror, a potential preview of the NFC Championship Game happened on Monday night in Seattle.
Despite playing on the road, the Bears once
again showed that they are one of the best teams in the league, moving to 6-2 on the season following a 34-17 dominating win in front of the 12s. Caleb Williams became the first quarterback in eight games this season to eclipse the 200-yard passing mark against the Seahawks defense.
All in all, it was a great week for this team, and they’ve got just one more game until their Week 10 bye. Going 3-0 against the Falcons, Patriots, and Seahawks is extremely impressive. Before we turn the page on the crazy week that was, let’s relive the fun and look ahead to the trade deadline in under a week. All of that and more in Week 8’s installment of 10 Bears Takes.
1. On Thursday morning, general manager Ryan Poles swung for the fences, sending a pair of first-round picks to the Tennessee Titans for All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons– more on why this signals the Bears “going for it” in 2026 and what that means moving forward.
If you’re like me, you were minding your own business on a rather ordinary Thursday morning when all of a sudden, the Twitter notifications came flying in. News broke that the Bears were sending their 2027 first- and fourth-round picks, plus a 2028 first-round pick, to the Titans for Simmons and a 2028 fifth-rounder. Like usual, a trade of this magnitude sent shockwaves around the league, prompting all sorts of responses from analysts.
Ultimately, Poles and his front office paid a high price for Simmons, and that’s hard to debate. On the flip side, they were in desperate need of an impact defensive lineman, and that’s exactly what the 29-year-old All-Pro provides. Another factor in this trade and the price paid is that Simmons recently signed a three-year extension, which means the Titans have already paid a chunk of his contract, helping the cap hits moving forward. Here’s how each year’s cap hit looks moving forward:
2026: $7.94 million
2027: $22.55 million (all guarantees and dead money run out after this season)
2028: $30.9 million
2029: $29.1 million
2030: $33.1 million
The next year and a half come cheap, especially considering his production. Although the last three years of the deal become considerably more expensive, this is where the Bears are highly likely to exercise a restructure (or two) on top of adding void years to lower his cap hit.
Simply put, Simmons is one of, if not the best, interior defensive linemen in the game. His 15.5 sacks since the start of last season are the most in the NFL, and he’s top of the league in sacks, tackles, pressure percentage, and disruption EPA for a defensive tackle. In addition to his great pass-rushing numbers, he’s very good against the run and has the versatility to be used all over the defensive line.
Although the defensive line is far from “fixed,” adding an elite player like Simmons should have a similar trickle-down effect as it did when they traded for Khalil Mack in 2018. He’ll make everyone better around him, and should take most of the double teams off players like Montez Sweat and Austin Booker. This is a “multiplier” move that should be felt across the defense.
More importantly, this big swing signals something clear: The Bears believe they are Super Bowl contenders and are operating as such. Cap space, both now and in the future, will always be a big talking point, but given how much flexibility they have with cuts and restructures next year, they are still in good shape for the next offseason. Obviously, missing their first-round picks for the next two years takes away some of the excitement on draft day and hurts their ability to add impact players through the draft; there was little chance they could find this type of impact player with either of their next two first-rounders.
This move isn’t without risk, but given how the roster was built in previous offseasons, it was also a must. Finding elite defensive line talent isn’t easy, and this move guarantees production now and in the immediate future.
2. Giving up first-round picks should never be taken lightly, but in many ways, this is the Khalil Mack trade again, with much more certainty at quarterback and on the offensive side of the ball.
Without going too far into the sore subject that was the 2018-2021 Chicago Bears, the decision to “go for it” with a big trade that cost multiple first-round picks is very similar. The good news is that this time around, they have a much more established quarterback situation, and Ben Johnson appears to be the real deal. Although that reduces some of the risk in a big trade like this, the history of deals involving multiple first-round picks typically doesn’t favor the team acquiring the superstar.
In theory, the Bears would have been able to find their three technique of the future eventually, but you’d have to go back to the Akiem Hicks days for that to be a reality. Instead, the team has flailed around with different coaching staffs and the same disappointing results. Some might point to trading Gervon Dexter Sr. as a mistake, and while that might be true, it’s also worth mentioning that he wasn’t the fit for what Dennis Allen wants at defensive tackle. Sure, the two players have some similar numbers on paper, but there’s a chance that Simmons has been doing this at a high level for close to half a decade.
There will always be inherent risk in a move like this, but if all goes well, both first-rounders they give up will be later in the round. Thus, the variance for those picks will be much higher than it would be if they were in the Top 10. Obviously, there’s a chance something goes horribly wrong, and they end up handing the Titans a Top 10-15 pick, but that’s the risk assessment when a deal like this is made.
The reality is quite simple for this team. They’ve had multiple swings at fixing the issue and failed. Finding a star defensive lineman gets harder the later they go in the first round. Simmons is a guaranteed stud, and barring injury, should continue to produce at a high level for close to the life of his contract. This does increase the pressure on Poles and his front office to draft well on Day 2, but ultimately, the pressure was already there to a certain extent. Sometimes teams have to take risks to reach their goals, and for the Bears, this was a worthy swing.
In terms of cap flexibility, the team will have plenty of restructure or extension options on players during the offseason, not to mention the multiple veteran players like Jaylon Johnson, Grady Jarrett, T.J. Edwards, and one, if not both, of Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo that could be cut before the start of next offseason. We already knew the defense would need an overhaul starting in March, but adding a player like Simmons helps with the heavy lifting needed in the coming months. For now, fans can enjoy what should be a drastically improved unit, and the front office and coaching staff can use the next 10-plus games to properly evaluate the veterans listed above.
3. Even following the Simmons trade, the Bears should still be active in their search for additional defensive help– how things could look over the next week leading up to the trade deadline.
So far, all reports suggest that the Bears will continue to scour the market for additional help on the defensive side of the ball. Because of what they gave up to acquire Simmons, it’s unlikely they’ll part with anything other than Day 3 picks over the next two seasons, but that still leaves them in a pool of players who would be immediate upgrades for what they are looking for.
Khalil Mack has been a name that almost every insider has tied to the Bears, and despite their unwillingness to start a fire sale, Sunday’s loss to push them to 0-7 might be enough to kickstart that. Chicago is unlikely to be the only team in the Mack sweepstakes, but considering his history and well-respected presence, don’t be surprised if he has some influence in where he ends up. It might require a 2028 fourth-rounder, but that’s a price worth paying, especially with the additional fifth-rounder they received back in the Simmons deal.
Other names in play include Riq Woolen, Alontae Taylor, Charvarius Ward, Rasul Douglas, Amik Robertson, or maybe even a reunion with Nahshon Wright. The edge rusher market is a little tougher to project, but outside of Mack, YaYa Diaby, K’Lavon Chaisson, Jermaine Johnson II, or maybe someone like Dorance Armstrong Jr.
With both Taylor and Johnson, conventional wisdom says that if a trade were going to happen, they probably would’ve been included in the Simmons deal. Still, given the timing, Tennessee may have wanted to further gauge their markets before making a move. Obvious ties make Mack and Wright feel like the most likely targets/acquisitions, but as we’ve learned, most deadlines produce unpredictable results. Regardless, it would serve the Bears well to stay active and make a move (or two) if the price is right.
4. With just one more game until the Bears’ Week 10 bye, it’s easy to see why they are in good shape for the second half of the season.
Heading into Sunday night’s home matchup against the Buccaneers, the Bears are 6-2 and, more importantly, a half-game out of first place. Considering Williams missed three games early in the season, and they still have a chance to finish their first nine games with seven wins, it’s hard not to count the first half of their season as a win.
Really, the only blemish on their first nine games is that they’ve once again started 0-2 in the division. In fact, those are their only two losses of the season. With Monday night’s win, they’ve bumped their conference record to 4-2, which could be important if they end up competing for a Wild Card spot in December.
Their 6-2 start is the best this franchise has seen since Lovie Smith’s final season in 2012. The Bears started 7-1 that year and ultimately missed the playoffs. That said, the two teams are built very differently, and the current group already has a playoff track record. Sometimes that can be a difficult hump for teams to jump over. Not only does this group have a much better offense, but their defense seems to be rounding into form the longer the season goes on.
Their hot start lets them see the deadline a little more clearly, without compromising the future. Right now, they are built to be a Super Bowl contender. No matter what happens at the deadline, that won’t change. The bigger question is whether they can win the division. With the Vikings’ schedule heating up and the Bears with a pair of favorable home matchups ahead (with the bye week sandwiched in between), an 8-2 start coming out of their bye would be a best-case scenario and feels realistic. Finding a way to take control of the division in the coming weeks will be key to repeating, and the Bears are on the verge of making that happen.
Buckle up, Bears fans. This is a very good team that is only getting better. They might have arrived a year early last season, but this year Super Bowl aspirations should be a reality.
5a. NFC North Lookaround: The Packers played on Thursday night for a second time in a month, and another fun divisional showdown with the Vikings and the Lions.
The Panthers and Packers kicked off Week 8 on Thursday Night Football, and following a Week 3 disaster for Green Bay, they redeemed themselves in a big way, even if the score didn’t reflect that. At one point, Carolina led 10-6, but from there, the Packers took control on defense. Quarterback Bryce Young was sacked six times and pressured on 47% of his dropbacks. After a tough start to the season, defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has his defense playing at an extremely high level. Offensively, quarterback Jordan Love continues to play MVP-level football, minus two ugly fourth-quarter interceptions. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden were both big factors as receivers. It might have ended as an eight-point game, but it was pure control from halfway through the second quarter and on for the Packers. Slow start or not, it’s clear they are getting their footing, and they still don’t have Micah Parsons back, who is expected to start practicing next week.
The Vikings-Lions showdown was well worth the three-hour watch during the early window, and despite a close game, the Lions came out looking like the better team, at least to me. Minnesota’s defense remains elite, but their offense is a disaster, despite having the likes of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. Quarterback Kyler Murray was better on Sunday, but he still leaves a lot to be desired, especially when he’s throwing on the move. For the Lions, the biggest story of the day (outside of the win) was injuries. Jack Campbell’s neck injury was extremely scary, and all you can do is hope for the best for him. Detroit’s offense is legit, and their defense keeps making strides. That said, it’s worth wondering how much the injuries they sustained will impact them, at least in the short term.
One thing that has stayed clear as day is that all four of these teams are very well-coached. Each team has its flaws, but each team also has defined strengths. Much of how the division shakes out will be matchup-based, and ultimately, the Bears must find a way to start winning divisional games. The NFC North is the best division in football, and barring a surprise, this is going to be a tightly contested foursome all the way through the regular season.
Here are the standings coming out of Week 8:
(6-1) Minnesota Vikings
(6-2) Chicago Bears
(5-2) Detroit Lions
(5-3) Green Bay Packers
5b. Week 9 Look Ahead: A third straight Primetime matchup, this time against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team teetering on the edge of some big decisions.
The Buccaneers have won two in a row and three of their last four, after a 0-4 start. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is back, and despite two wins by a combined 59-13 score, the veteran quarterback has thrown for 64 yards in those two games. Mayfield’s zero yards on three attempts on Sunday became the first time a team had won a game without a completion since 1974. Instead, Tampa Bay has been winning games by dominating on defense and forcing a combined eight takeaways, five of which have been interceptions.
Because the NFC South is such a disaster, there’s not a team over .500 heading into Week 9, and despite Tampa Bay’s 0-4 start, they are just a half game out of first place. Considering the timing of the trade deadline, Sunday night’s game could be a big one for that entire organization. A loss doesn’t automatically eliminate them from contention, but a win could easily earn them first place.
During their two-game winning streak, the Bucs’ defense has allowed an average of 255 yards per game and just 6.5 points per game. The Bears have faced the league’s two best defenses so far this season, and the Buccaneers are in that mix for a Top 3-5 unit, as well. They are giving up less than 300 yards per game and have done a solid job getting after the quarterback. They’re also giving up less than 80 yards per game on the ground.
The Bears will be favored, especially at home, but they’re not a team to take lightly. Establishing the run will be important, but unlike their matchup in Seattle, they might need to lean on Williams and the pass game to keep the offense moving. Sunday night’s game would be a “nice to win” game for the Bears, but in many ways, it’s close to a “must-win” game for the Buccaneers. Desperate teams can be dangerous, but as we’ve learned under Johnson, this team doesn’t take any team lightly.
