The Chicago Bears have been involved in plenty of rumors as the trade deadline approaches, and it felt like a lock they'd do something to add a defensive player. A huge move had felt fairly unlikely, but Bears general manager Ryan Poles has gone all-in by acquiring four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bears are sending their first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, and a 2027 fourth-round pick, to Tennessee for Simmons. They are also getting a 2028 fifth-round pick in the deal.
Some, including writers who cover a Bears rival whose GM sits on his hands when it comes to big moves, are quick to lament that a big move like this rarely yields a Super Bowl ring. But that's a huge coping mechanism, and Bears fans should be happy to have a general manager who is willing to take a risk.
Without further ado, let's get into some winners and losers from the Simmons trade.
3 winners and 2 losers from Bears' blockbuster trade for Jeffery Simmons
Winner- Ryan Poles
The No. 1 winner here is obvious. Poles' past big trades haven't always worked out, but the Bears' circumstances are different now, and he recognized it. There is a prime window to win now, before quarterback Caleb Williams gets a notable second contract.
Giving up his next two first-round picks could blow up in Poles' face. But it could've been reasonably expected that those picks would be late in the first round before the trade for Simmons, and now that idea is greatly bolstered. The rest of the trade is essentially an even pick-swap, and the impact of Simmons' contract on the Bears' balance sheet does not come close to matching his projected impact on the field.
Loser(s)-Brad Holmes, Brian Gutekunst and Nolan Teasley
Despite Minnesota's 6-0 start, the NFC North is wide open. Poles has unequivocally shown his division peers what an all-in move before the trade deadline looks like. The Lions, Packers, and Vikings are all buyers, but almost anything their general managers could do now will pale in comparison to Poles' big pre-deadline move.
Strictly within the Bears' realm, the search for losers of the Simmons trade wasn't fruitful. So we go with the other general managers in the NFC North, who have been sent a huge message.
Winner-Dennis Allen
That cornerback, Kyler Gordon, has played two games and is tied for the team lead in sacks, which says it all about the Bears' pass rush so far this season. Injuries (Dayo Odeyingbo) and a suspension (Montez Sweat) have played some role in that, but Simmons provides pass-rush juice from the interior as few defensive tackles in the league can.
Allen will surely continue to feature Gordon heavily in blitz packages and still blitz plenty. But those blitzes won't have to be a core requirement to generate heat on quarterbacks anymore, akin to being the frosting instead of the cake in how Allen schemes the pass rush.
Allen has done well with what he has so far this season. Now he has a stud on his defensive line.
Winner-Montez Sweat/the entire Bears' defensive line
Coming off a two-game suspension, Sweat badly needs a strong run over the rest of the season. He will still be an easy potential cap casualty in the offseason, but he can do a lot for himself by turning his game up a few notches from here on out.
According to Next Gen Stats (h/t to Bears reporter Mason Williams), Simmons has faced the second-most double teams among defensive tackles so far this season (101). He also has the most pressures (28) and sacks (three) when double-teamed.
No Bears defensive tackle comes close to garnering the blocking attention Simmons demands. and that will make life easier for the entire Bears' defensive line. Sweat, Simmons' college teammate at Mississippi State, deserves an elevated mention within that idea.
Loser-Kentavius Street
Street has started all seven games at defensive tackle for the Bears so far this season, playing 43 percent of the defensive snaps. But he has hardly been noticeable, with nine total tackles and one sack, and he has now been replaced by Simmons.
Read more: A Bears-Khalil Mack reunion is still on the table after Jeffery Simmons trade
Maybe a lesser role will be good for Street in terms of his effectiveness. So he's a fairly light inclusion in the "loser" category here, since clear-cut losers from the Simmons trade are hard to find, but he is set to lose quite a bit of playing time.
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