The Chicago Bears made a splash in trading for All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, sending two first-round picks to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for arguably the best interior defender in the NFL.
In the last two seasons, Simmons has totaled 15 sacks, including a career-high 11 in 2025 and currently has four this season. Simmons is a three-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler and has totaled 44.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and 30 pass deflections. He's arguably the best (if not second-best) defensive tackle in the NFL, and it answers a huge need along the defensive interior for Dennis Allen's defense. Simmons recently signed a three-year extension with the Titans, which means he'll be in Chicago through 2030.
Here’s a collection of all of the grades for the Simmons trade from various media outlets, where experts are divided about the Bears' decision due to the large investment in draft capital while others argue it's a moot point.
USA Today: A-
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: "This is a sizable investment in a defense tackle with a top-of-market contract. But this is not this year's version of Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts, with the Bears' consistent offense likely safeguarding the team from a comparable outcome. Getting a true difference-maker on the interior line was always going to be a difficult proposition for general manager Ryan Poles. After seeing the year-to-year volatility that the rival Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings have had to endure after missing out on what seemed like prime title shots, it's understandable why he decided to give this group what it most needed for a title push."
ESPN: C
Seth Walder: "Simmons is a force and a massive upgrade at an area of weakness. The Bears had been playing 33-year-old Grady Jarrett (who has zero sacks but a solid pass rush win rate) alongside veteran journeymen Kentavius Street, Neville Gallimore and James Lynch. Simmons is an entirely different level of player. So, Simmons absolutely makes sense for the Bears, and in general, I am strongly in favor of Chicago making deadline additions this season. But there is a compensation limit where a trade ceases to make sense, and I think the Bears ran past it."
The Athletic: D+
Daniel Popper: "The Bears gave up a ton of capital for a player approaching 30. To be clear, Simmons remains one of the best players in the league, and he will have a hugely positive impact on the Bears’ defense this season. That includes run defense, where the Bears have been below average so far this season. Simmons, according to Pro Football Focus, ranks second in run stops this season (15) among interior defensive linemen. But this type of package for a player at that age is unprecedented for an in-season move."
CBS Sports: A-
Bryan DeArdo and Matt Zenitz: "Give Chicago a ton of credit for going all-in. The Bears clearly feel they have a team capable of winning it all. They wouldn't have made a trade of this magnitude if they didn't. By getting Simmons, the Bears have increased their odds of winning what is arguably the NFL's hardest division, which includes the league's last unbeaten team, the 6-0 Minnesota Vikings. The Bears may have won the division without Simmons, but his addition makes them the front-runner. This also makes the Bears a stronger Super Bowl contender while keeping pace with the 49ers, who made a splash of their own earlier this week when they traded for DeForest Buckner. Instead of standing on the sidelines, the Bears decided to respond."
Sports Illustrated: B+
Mike Kadlick: "Is it a gamble for the Bears to ship away their next two first-round picks? Certainly, just look at what’s happened to the Colts after they did the same for cornerback Sauce Gardner at the 2025 deadline. That said, Chicago is in far better shape from top to bottom than Indianapolis was at this time last year, and with Simmons under contract through the ’29 season, the Bears have multiple years to make this move pay off."
Yahoo! Sports: B
Eric Edholm: "By sending their next two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder next year, the Bears are shipping out major assets the next two years. This trade sends a clear signal that the Bears are going for it all this season...Value-wise, this is close to as much compensation as you'll see moved for a defensive player. But if the Bears make a Super Bowl run, the price very well could make the move a smart one."
Sporting News: A
Vinnie Iyer: "With Allen as the defensive coordinator, the Bears like to attack the quarterback from all angles with well-disguised pressure. Simmons can be a nightmare for opposing interior blockers who also need to worry plenty about Allen getting a lot more creative with stunts moving his defensive linemen around. The Bears' philosophy aligns with Simmons' strengths. He's the type of "all-in" addition that suggests they're trying to win the Super Bowl in Caleb Williams' third season while the quarterback is still on an affordable rookie contract."
Bears Wire: A-
Brendan Sugrue: "The Bears are investing in one of the premier defensive players in football and adding him to a team that has already proven itself enough as a winner with a core group instilled. They hit on the head coach, have a quarterback that is arguably a top-five signal caller in the NFL with a dependable group of weapons around him, and have a defense that has been able to get by thanks to excellent coaching...The only thing keeping this trade from earning an A+ grade is the fact the Bears surrendered two first-round picks for a player who will only play half a season before he turns 30. It's a bit of a gamble, and the Bears paid a hefty price. That's the way these blockbusters go, though. But if the Bears continue to be one of the better teams in the NFL, those first-round picks will be in the 20s, which aren't nearly as valuable as a top-10 pick."
For the Win: B
Charles Curtis: "Pardon me while I pick my jaw off the floor. The Bears didn't just make a simple deal here. They dealt a pair of first-round picks -- that's right, TWO OF 'EM -- and a fourth-rounder for a stud defensive tackle. Now, if you're a contender (and I think the Bears count as one), you definitely want a player like Simmons in the middle, stopping the run and rushing opposing QBs. But you're paying a SERIOUS premium, even for a player with Simmons' resume. If they win a Super Bowl? Great. It'll be worth it. But this is a gamble of sorts with that kind of draft capital."
SB Nation: B
James Dator: "This is a case where the grade is completely based on the assets given up in the deal. Simmons is an incredible player, and arguably the best downfield pass rushing defensive tackle in football. This season he ranks 3rd among all DTs in pressures with 24, despite being double-teamed on almost every down because opponents of the Titans didn’t need to worry about anyone else. With the Bears he’ll plug in on the line alongside Kentavius Street and really give the defense the beef in the middle they’ve been missing. Interior pass rush has become one of the most important elements of success in the league recently, with all the best teams boasting some pressure up the middle to collapse the pocket quickly. We’ve seen top-tier DTs become more valuable than even the best EDGE rushers, and this trade is further evidence of the changing state of football."
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: How NFL experts graded the Bears' trade for All-Pro Jeffery Simmons
