The Chicago Bears had high hopes for rookie defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg entering the 2026 season, but their latest blockbuster trade suggests those plans have changed…
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bears are acquiring All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for two first round picks and a fourth round pick, while receiving a fifth round selection in return.
Just two months after trading Gervon Dexter Sr. to Atlanta, partly due to van den Berg’s promising preseason, the Bears are now paying a much steeper price to address the same position.
For van den Berg, the arrival of Simmons could effectively end his opportunity to play a significant role in Chicago’s defensive line rotation, at least for now.
Jordan van den Berg’s struggles forced Bears to reconsider
Back in August, Jordan van den Berg was one of the more intriguing stories coming out of Chicago Bears training camp.
The Bears even sent Gervon Dexter Sr. to Atlanta in a trade that also brought cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth round pick to Chicago.
At the time, the move suggested Chicago felt comfortable enough with its defensive tackle depth to move on from a former second round pick. But van den Berg hasn’t exactly rewarded that confidence through the first seven games.
The rookie played 32.4% of Chicago’s defensive snaps in Week 1, but that number dropped to just 9.3% by Week 7. Even worse, van den Berg had recorded only one tackle and one pressure during that stretch.
Those numbers are pretty concerning for a player who appeared to be earning a legitimate role just a few months ago.
And while it’s unfair to expect a sixth round rookie to immediately replace an established NFL defensive tackle, Chicago clearly expected more from its interior rotation.
The Jeffery Simmons trade makes that pretty obvious.
Jeffery Simmons trade changes Bears’ defensive line plans
Jeffery Simmons gives the Chicago Bears an established interior pass rusher who can immediately take pressure off Montez Sweat and the rest of the defensive front…
He also joins a group that already includes veteran Grady Jarrett, giving the Bears a much more experienced combination up front. For Jordan van den Berg, however, the situation becomes considerably more complicated.
Chicago entered the season hoping van den Berg could help make up for Dexter’s departure. Now, with the Bears trying to compete in the NFC, they apparently aren’t willing to wait around for that development. And that’s where the Gervon Dexter Sr. trade starts looking a little questionable.
The Bears moved on from a young defensive tackle who had already shown he could contribute at the NFL level, partly because they liked what they were seeing from their younger options.
Just a few games later, they’re reportedly surrendering two first round picks to bring in another defensive tackle.
Sure, Simmons is a considerably more accomplished player than Dexter, and Chicago is getting a legitimate star rather than simply replacing one rotational piece.
Van den Berg could eventually become a useful player for Chicago. For now, though, the Bears appear to have decided they can’t afford to keep finding out on the field.
Bears’ Jordan van den Berg Experiment Is Over After Blockbuster Trade