SEATTLE — Just four days after heading to the Chicago Bears, Jeffery Simmons is immediately making an impact.
Simmons, who was acquired by the Bears on Thursday in a big trade with the Tennessee Titans, made his debut in blue and orange against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday. And in the first quarter, the defensive tackle made a huge play, with a sack on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold for a loss of six yards.
Chicago unfortunately didn’t get to reap the rewards of the tackle due to a penalty flag: Grady Jarrett was flagged for a facemask that took place after the play, resulting in Seattle gaining 15 yards. But the sack stands, giving Simmons his first big stat since changing teams.
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The Bears paid up in order to get Simmons, sending Tennessee two first-round picks (a 2027 and a 2028) as part of the trade package. Chicago’s defense has had its struggles, with the team allowing the most yards per attempt (8.7) in the league.
Despite the high cost, Bears general manager Ryan Poles said on Friday that the team doesn’t think of it as not caring about picks — or, as he calls it, the “F them picks” mentality. Instead, he touted Simmons’ ability to make a difference both on the field and within the team’s culture.
“I don’t think it can be either or when you talk about a move this size,” Poles said. “You need to have both. And that’s what Jeffery does. We believe he’s going to impact us at a high level on the grass but also in the locker room, too.”
This story will be updated.
