Bear Digest

Could rumored object of Bears trade interest be affected by firing?

Analysis: The Tennessee Titans fired their coach after less than 1 1/2 seasons and possible Bears pursuit of a former Pro Bowl defensive tackle could be impacted.
Gene Chamberlain|
Tennessee defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons celebrates after a fourth-down stop in a 2021 preseason game against the Bears.
Tennessee defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons celebrates after a fourth-down stop in a 2021 preseason game against the Bears. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

Any hypothetical Bears trade to acquire Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons could be impacted by the drastic Monday move that team made.

They fired coach Brian Callahan after a 3-14 2024 season, and a 1-5 start to this season while using rookie Cam Ward at quarterback. Why would a team unhappy with how its QB has been handled to date want to trade away the most dangerous player on its roster?

Ward is completing only 55% of his passes and has a passer rating of 67.3.

Rumors originating out of Tennessee last week spoke of interest the Bears might have in Simmons, the defensive tackle who had plenty to say in the offseason a year ago about facing Caleb Williams in the season opener.

With Grady Jarrett still nursing a knee injury and the Bears' pass rush struggling greatly, such a move could make sense for them depending on what they would need to give up in exchange.

If there is truth to the rumors of interest, Tennessee changing coaches after a 1-5  start seems like the kind of impactful event that might influence any chance of this happening. There is a good logic to the Titans trying to trade Simmons. By the time Ward could have the Titans in position to be a playoff team, Simmons might be into his 30s.

The Titans are a team with plenty of needs on offense and defense and would benefit by trading to acquire draft picks.

One of those needs is the offensive line, as Ward leads the NFL in sacks taken with 25 for 198 yards in losses.

The Titans GM is Mike Borgonzi, who has ties to Poles from their days together in Kansas City. Also, Borgonzi's brother, Dave, was Bears linebackers coach for three seasons during the Matt Eberflus-Thomas Brown years.

The need for defensive tackle help is growing each week for the Bears.

Gervon Dexter has their only sack by a defensive tackle but is graded the third-best defensive tackle against the pass in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.

However, it's the run where Bears defensive tackles have struggled most. Dexter is graded only 162nd of 187 against the run. A year after his season was ended early by a torn pectoral muscle, Andrew Billings is graded just 59th out of 186 against the run. Jarrett won't play this week due to a knee injury and is graded 84th among interior defensive linemen against the run and 125th in rushing the passer.

The edge rush position gets all the attention when it comes to possible Bears trades but tackle probably makes more sense unless they pinpointed a younger edge rusher to acquire.

Poles has insisted throughout the last two years that they can influence the passer most with a tackle capable of applying heat and this could make Montez Sweat's job on the edge easier by taking away double-teams.

Either way, Simmons, now in his eighth season, has eight tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks already, in addition to 12 pressures and 11 quarterback hits. The Bears have 10 pressures from all the defensive tackles on their team combined, and only 10 tackles for loss from all of their defensive linemen combined.

Whether they are willing to pursue this will probably depend on Tennessee's reluctance or willingness to listen to offers and the plans for the future with Simmons.

The Titans are under no pressure to trade Simmons for contract reasons, with his current contract carrying a 2025 cap hit of $22.9 million running through 2027.

So, acquiring him would likely require a ridiculous offer, especially when he's at the height of his productivity. Knowing he's on a team with uncertainty in its immediate future doesn't really make Simmons any more or less available.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published | Modified
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.