Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has lofty goals for his team. He wanted the Bears to blow teams out, but he also said he wanted to pitch a shutout. With how Chicago’s defense played through the first seven games, it did not seem likely they would have that caliber of a unit without a major addition on the defensive line.
A lot of the speculation was that the Bears would seek to reunite with Khalil Mack, who they traded for back in 2018. Instead, they decided to make a trade similar to the one they made for Mack all those years ago, acquiring All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans for a pair of first-round picks.
Simmons is coming off a year where he was named a first-team All-Pro and had a career-high of 11 sacks.
He already has four sacks and nine quarterback hits so far this season, including a forced fumble, fumble recovery, two sacks and two quarterback hits in Tennessee’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts two weeks ago.
“Jeffery is one of the most respected players in the National Football League,” head coach Ben Johnson said. “Jeffery has proven to be one of the most impactful run defenders and disruptive pass-rushers in the NFL, and yet, through his leadership, Jeffery will have the opportunity to create a positive impact across our entire team. We look forward to the work ahead.”
The biggest question with this trade is whether or not Chicago overpaid by giving up two first-round picks. Time will tell. But for the immediate future, this acquisition greatly increases the Bears’ defensive front, which is even more important given they are about to face the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Seattle Seahawks, on Monday Night Football.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson sounds off after Bears' trade for Jeffery Simmons
