The Chicago Bears missed out on trading for veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from the Indianapolis Colts. If they still want to upgrade their defensive interior with an impact player before the trade deadline, though, one high-profile target stands as their most obvious choice.
The Colts agreed to trade Buckner — a three-time Pro Bowl selection — to the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick, kicking off a full-fledged rebuild just eight days after firing Chris Ballard as their general manager.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Bears had interest in acquiring Buckner, but the 32-year-old wanted to “be back in San Francisco” where he began his career.
Chicago is still scouring the defensive market, and they’ve been linked to Khalil Mack by rival teams,” Schultz wrote on X on October 27.
Mack remains a possibility. He has an established connection to Chicago and won’t likely cost a fortune to acquire from the Los Angeles Chargers, who are expected sellers for the trade deadline after a deflating 0-6 start to their campaign.
If the Bears feel that defensive tackle is a bigger priority than edge rusher, though, then placing a call to the Tennessee Titans about Jeffery Simmons makes too much sense.
Jeffery Simmons is Realistic for Bears — If Titans Are Willing
Simmons is one of the best interior defenders in the NFL and would immediately improve the Bears’ struggling defensive line. The four-time Pro Bowler is fresh off an 11-sack season in 2025 for the Titans and already has four sacks through the first seven games of their 2026 season.
And unlike Maxx Crosby or the other high-priced players mentioned in relation to the Bears, Simmons is a realistically attainable target for Chicago — if Tennessee is willing.
Simmons only just signed a three-year, $105.8 million extension that made him the league’s highest-paid defensive tackle with the Titans in July, but the franchise’s 1-6 start and aimless trajectory have created the impression that another substantial rebuild is coming next season.
If the Titans trade Simmons, though, the acquiring team would only owe him the rest of his $13 million base salary (paid on a per-game basis), meaning the Bears could acquire the superstar for a cap hit of less than $7 million for the rest of the 2026 season.
Simmons would get considerably more expensive after the 2026 season, when his cap charges jump above $30 million for the final four seasons of his contract.
The Bears, however, will have the option to clear as much as $49.5 million in additional space if they move on from defensive linemen Montez Sweat ($21 million in savings), Dayo Odeyingbo ($15 million) and Grady Jarrett ($13.5 million), putting a Simmons trade firmly in the affordable column.
How Much Might Jeffery Simmons Trade Cost Bears?
The financial aspect is workable for the Bears if they set their hearts on acquiring Simmons from the Titans. The total compensation, however, would depend on Tennessee’s asking price.
The Titans — who may not even want to trade Simmons in the first place after extending him — could demand an ultra-rich trade price for their superstar disruptor. A first-round pick is well within the realm of possibility, especially after Dexter Lawrence fetched a top-10 pick from the Cincinnati Bengals before the 2026 NFL draft.
The question is: Would the Bears give up their top pick in 2027 (and maybe more) for Simmons, a 29-year-old defensive tackle who will cost a fortune and comes with steep injury gurantees.
The Bears could rationalize Simmons as a building-block veteran for their next few seasons, but the risk is awfully high for a team that has generally resisted overpriced trades in recent seasons.
Adding Simmons would also limit their spending power for seasons to come, which is a concern with big contracts — such as an extension for Caleb Williams — on the horizon.
It all depends on whether the Bears believe they can contend in 2026 with Simmons in the fold. If they feel a 5-2 start and more mojo on offense can lead to a Super Bowl, perhaps they can talk themselves into making a blockbuster move for their missing piece.
Bears’ Top Trade Target Emerges After DeForest Buckner Trade