Will Jeffery Simmons Play Tonight? Workload Expectations for New Bears DT vs. Seahawks

Here's what we know about Jeffery Simmons chances of making his Chicago Bears debut in Week 8 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) warms up before the game against the New York Jets at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Bears made a massive addition — both literally and figuratively — to their defense this past week when they acquired Jeffery Simmons in a trade with the Tennessee Titans.

General manager Ryan Poles showed he's really going for it this season after giving up two first-round picks and a fourth-round selection in exchange for Simmons and a fifth-rounder.

The blockbuster deal marked the first time in the common draft era that a team has traded multiple first-rounders for a defensive tackle, so that goes to show you how serious Poles is about 2026.

But with that trade going down just days ago and Simmons having such a short time to get acclimated and ready to play in a new defense, many are wondering if he will make his debut versus Seattle.

Here's what we know.

Is Jeffery Simmons playing tonight?

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) warms up before the game against the Houston Texans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The expectation is that Simmons will indeed suit up for his Bears debut on Monday night against the Seahawks.

First, Poles said he believed that Simmons would go, although he did say the ultimate decision will rest on the coaching staff.

Then, when he first addressed the media on Friday, Big Jeff told reporters that he's ready to go.

"At this point, I'm still trying to catch up with the playbook, get this game plan down and just trust the process, especially with this first week" he said. "But at the same time, I'm ready to roll. I'm ready to help this team win football games."

Head coach Ben Johnson also made it sound like Simmons will play.

“He’s played a lot of football, he’s been in a few different defensive schemes, and I think (Dennis Allen) is going to be able to find a spot to do what he does best,” Johnson said. “We don’t want him thinking out there, and that’s what you’re conscious of coming into a new team, but he’s a smart guy and we’ve been encouraged by what we’ve seen so far.”

Workload expectations for Jeffery Simmons

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) stands during the National Anthem against the Houston Texans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As far as how much Simmons will play, we can't say for sure. One would assume he probably won't see a full workload in his first game with the Bears, which is something Johnson said would likely be the case.

“He might not be quite that high Week 1 for us, but he certainly has shown the ability to carry a load,” he said of Simmons' expected workload in his first game with the Bears.

The only real roadblock is how much of the defense Simmons can grasp in such a short time. It's not like he's coming off the couch to play, so conditioning isn't an issue at all.

One of the Bears' starters along the interior of the defensive line, Grady Jarrett, has been playing 72% of snaps this season. We could see Simmons playing around 50% in Week 8.

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