Rich Weighs In on the Bears’ Blockbuster Trade for Titans All-Pro DT Jeffery Simmons

Rich did not see this one coming. "Not in my wildest dreams did I think the Titans would sell Jeffery Simmons," he said, "until the Bears said, 'How about two ones and a four?'"

Two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder. That is what it took, and Rich read the deal from both sides.

For Tennessee, the message is blunt. With all due respect to Titans fans, Rich said, "you know what it means." When Robert Saleh essentially made Simmons available for a certain price, and somebody hit that price, it showed the Titans are retooling.

For Chicago, it means something bigger. Rich sees Ryan Poles and the Bears deciding that the moment is now. Add Simmons, get Sweat back, and suddenly a defense that is coalescing has somebody in the middle telling every running back the same thing. Jahmyr Gibbs, Jacobs, name any running back. "Not today." Quarterbacks, too. Any passer who thinks he won't have Simmons coming at him after stopping the run is, in Rich's words, "sadly mistaken. He's that good."

The timing matters to Rich as much as the player. The Bears made this move now rather than next week, and he thinks the reason is the quarterback. Caleb, Rich said, is "now officially ready. Our own two eyes see it." That is what turns a big price into a sensible one. This deal says the Bears plan to be super in 2026 and beyond, and they are willing to cough up two ones and a four to prove it.

Caleb, for his part, clearly understood the significance. Rich pointed to the quarterback's Instagram, which greeted the news with a simple "Good morning, world."

As for Bears fans wincing at the cost, Rich had an answer ready. Two first-rounders and a fourth is a lot, sure. But picture the parade. "If you are going down Michigan Avenue with the trophy," he said, "you will not think about that for one second."

His bottom line was not subtle. A move like this, Rich said, indicates "1,000%" that the front office, the coaching staff and the locker room all believe the window is open. In his words: "Now has arrived in Chicago."