Bears Trade for Jeffery Simmons: Game-Changer for NFC North?

The trade deadline is off and running. John, your Bears made a move for Jeffrey Simmons, and I am very intrigued by it. There's a lot of people that say, oh, it's an overpay. What is Ryan Poles doing? What is this Bears team doing? Listen, I actually really like the deal. I think that getting a guy like Jeffrey Simmons from a team like the Titans is, I mean, you're going to get... Really good production out of him. I know they gave up some good draft assets to get him. But what are your thoughts initially on the Bears getting Jeffrey Simmons? Because I feel like that's one of the bigger moves so far that we've had. I think it's a win-win. The Titans are in a situation where this organization is really in a pitfall. They're not going anywhere. They're far from actually being a contender, even in the AFC South. And so they need picks. They need pieces to start rebuilding the team and creating it in another image. You had an asset that was considered one of the best in the business, and the Bears gave up what I felt like was an adequate price to receive him. You can't get players like that on bargain deals. It wasn't like he was requesting a trade with all that's going on in Tennessee. The Bears had to fight to get this guy out of Tennessee. And so to me, I thought that this was, unless someone bigger than him is moved, this is like one of those, barring injury, of course, this is one of them Godzilla moves. You brought in a Myles Garrett-level player to add to your defense. Again, health provided, he might play before Miles Garrett. And so the impact that he could have On the Bears, on Monday night against Quentin Nelson for Seattle, who also made a big trade, it's going to be something to see because at the rate the season is now going, these two teams may be on a collision course deep in the playoffs. Yeah, two other NFC contenders made trades. The 49ers got DeForest Buckner from Indianapolis. It seems like Indianapolis is in full-on sell mode at this point. The Seahawks get Quentin Nelson from the Colts. And listen, for the Bears. Jeffrey Simmons, first-team All-Pro, he's 29, he's under contract through 2030, he's had 46.5 sacks since 2019, he's second amongst defensive tackles behind Buckner, and the Bears, they kind of needed that, I mean, they were 23rd in interior pass rush. There's no kind of, there's no kind of, there's no kind of, not at all. They cannot generate a pass rush without a blitz. I love the move. I understand the draft capital, but if you're in an all-win-now situation, you need to make that move. David, what are your thoughts on these moves that happen? All NFC teams making these big interior moves so far. There are a few positions that I think are the most valuable in football when it comes to acquiring as a contending team. That can be corner, that can be linebacker, obviously quarterback, and line. Generating a pass rush. I mean, go back to the... Tom Brady v. Patrick Mahomes Super Bowl. That pass rush won them the entire game. We need guys that can play man coverage and guys that can pressure the quarterback. That's why the Vikings are so good. It's the right thing to do. Every team that is contending, that is giving up picks, multiple first-round picks for interior defensive linemen, edges, linebackers, even corners we can see, it's the right thing to do because you're going to get to the AFC Championship, NFC Championship, Super Bowl, and the narrative is going to be, Bears couldn't generate a pass rush. Bears lose because they could not get to the quarterback. And now, here's Jeffrey Simmons. And it's been like that all offseason. It's going to continue like that. There's a lot of defensive players and interior and line players that are on declining teams that these contenders are going to sneak up on. And I would say as important as the running back market is right now with the trade deadline, I would much rather see my team trade for a all pro interior or defensive edge than Sit on your hands and just wait. Yeah, exactly. And for the Bears, like I said, it's win now. If you can go out and get a guy, worry about the picks later. Forget the picks. You guys have a good team right now. You have a core. Go get those players. Are there any other rumors? We have a little bit of time left. Do you guys have any other ones that are hot takes? You think a guy's going somewhere, John? The only other person I can see moving that could really move the needle is Jonathan Taylor. Everything else. Josh Downs. Anybody? No, not for me. He won't move the needle. He won't move the needle. He'll help out. Wow. Yeah. But that's not moving the needle. That's not the needle. We're talking about Jonathan Taylor moves the needle. He puts you in contention somewhere if you're Minnesota. Or we talked about if you're New England. If you're one of these teams, hell, if you're the Texans who've had injury problems at the running back position, and they seem to have gotten things together, so why not? You got David Montgomery, you bring in Jonathan Taylor, they can share the load, and then you're back in business.