The Chicago Bears made one of the biggest moves of the NFL season when general manager Ryan Poles acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans. Head coach Ben Johnson recently offered some insight into how the trade came together, revealing that he and Poles communicate daily and were quickly aligned on bringing Simmons to Chicago.
Johnson also explained what makes the All-Pro defensive tackle such an important addition to the Bears’ defense.
Bears News: Ben Johnson Comments on Ryan Poles After Making the Trade
Ben Johnson was asked about his relationship with Ryan Poles and how the two work together when evaluating potential roster moves. The Bears coach made it clear that communication between them is constant, while acknowledging that not every potential move eventually becomes a reality.
“We talk on a daily basis so things have progressed, and some things come up and, they don’t come to fruition and other things do. You can tell it’s kind of picking up steam there [Simmons trade] pretty quickly. We’re all on board and we certainly got a heck of a player that we feel strongly about so excited to see what it looks like here this week.”
While Poles ultimately handles the personnel decisions, Johnson’s input is clearly part of the process when the organization considers making significant investments.
That alignment was especially important in the trade for Jeffery Simmons. Chicago gave up its 2027 and 2028 first-round picks and a 2027 fourth-round selection to acquire the defensive tackle, also receiving a 2028 fifth-round pick from Tennessee.
Considering the amount of premium draft capital involved, having the coaching staff and front office on the same page was critical.
Johnson Explains What Jeffery Simmons Brings to the Bears Defense
Johnson also discussed Simmons’ impact on opposing offenses, highlighting how the defensive tackle forces teams to adjust their protection schemes and overall game plan.
“He’s a guy that forces an offense to know where he is and affects their protection, affects the run game, all those things. And so we look forward to seeing the impact that he can have. Not just on dictating some terms to the offense but also elevating those around him as well through his play and through his leadership because those have been kind of the constants throughout his career so far. …Right now it’s just trying to connect him to all of our guys and indoctrinate them to a degree to what we do.”
A reminder that Simmons was a five-time team captain for the Titans, and all his former teammates have nothing but the utmost respect and praise for not just him as a player, but as a teammate and friend.
Oh yeah, and he’s arguably the league’s top defensive tackle. Here’s where he ranks since 2025 among all DTs:
- 15.0 sacks (1st)
- 23 tackles for loss (1st)
- 85 pressures (tied-1st)
- 28 pressures after double team (1st)
- 31 quick pressures (1st)
- 6 turnovers caused by pressure (1st)
- 9.5 sacks on 3rd down (1st)
The Bears got a great one in Simmons.
Bears’ Ben Johnson Sends Message on Ryan Poles, Jeffery Simmons After Trade