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Titans firing their head coach could boost Bears' defensive line

If the Tennessee Titans become sellers after head coach Brian Callahan's firing, the Chicago Bears need to be buyers.
Pete Martuneac|
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It's not even Halloween yet and we already have our first head coach firing of the 2025 NFL season as the Tennessee Titans have fired Brian Callahan after just 23 games with the franchise. First overall pick Cam Ward will now be playing with his second head coach of his rookie season, an ordeal with which the Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams is all too familiar.

As is always the case in the NFL, firing a head coach midseason is equivalent to waving a white flag. The Titans have officially given up on 2025 and are looking to the future. This means that the entire roster and coaching staff will be analyzed to see if they fit withinthe team's long-term plans.

This opens the door to potential trades for what little talent is left on Tennessee's roster. Incidentally, NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirmed on Monday morning, just hours before the firing of Callahan, that the Titans were already fielding several calls about potential trades ahead of the November 4 deadline.

While it's not a guarantee that the Titans will part ways with the few studs they have, it's a situation for a team like the Chicago Bears to be very interested in. Chicago's defensive line has been a non-factor thus far in 2025, and their highly paid defensive end Montez Sweat becoming a problem with his lack of production. They need a massive infusion of talent if they're going to be taken seriously this year, and 3-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons could be just what the doctor ordered.

Montez Swea
David Banks-Imagn Images

The Bears defensive woes won't improve without a big roster move

Simmons' 87.8 PFF grade is sixth-best in his position group, and his 27 pressures, to go with an impressive 4.5 sack total, leads all defensive tackles. Trading for Simmons makes all the sense in the world for the Bears, especially if they can get a big Week 6 win over the Washington Commanders on Monday night and prove that they're legit playoff contenders.

Whether the Titans should trade Jeffery Simmons is a different story. While they are firmly in a rebuild now with Callahan gone, Simmons is pretty much an institution for the franchise. Trading a fan-favorite like him may be too much for the front office. On the flip side, they could get some premium picks out of the Bears, which won't likely be too far back in the draft order, for their new head coach to put to use in 2026.

A Bears-Titans trade would offer rare 'win-win' opportunity

They could also very well get a stud receiver in DJ Moore in a potential deal with the Bears. Rome Odunze may already have surpassed Moore as the WR1 in Chicago, and even Olamide Zaccheaus is getting more targets than Moore. There's a lot of mouths to feed in Chicago while Tennessee's offense is currently starved for pass catchers, especially if Calvin Ridely's Week 6 injury causes him to miss time.

In this potential trade scenario, both teams would be moving on from a 28-year-old veteran who may not fit their current timeline while massively improving in an area of need. Ward needs receivers, Williams needs a defense that can protect a lead. That's a win-win if ever there was one.

Jeffery Simmon
Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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