Is This a Trick or Treat?
My phone started blowing up.
Jeffery Simmons. Chicago Bears.
Then I saw what we gave up.
Two first-round picks.
Pause.
I love getting the player. I just needed a minute to read the receipt.
My buddy Ro broke the news to me. Mark from Overlook was in the mix, too. Even friends who don’t follow the Bears were reaching out. You know it’s a big deal when people who normally don’t give a shit about football suddenly want your opinion.
Mine was pretty simple: this is a big fucking swing.
And I want it to work. Badly.
But being excited about Jeffery Simmons doesn’t mean I have to stop asking questions about Ryan Poles.
The Bears sent Tennessee their 2027 and 2028 first-round picks and a 2027 fourth-rounder. We got Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round pick back.
That’s a serious price. And Simmons is a fucking dude.
I’ve loved watching him since Tennessee. He’s the kind of guy who can wreck the middle of an offense. That matters for a defense I’ve spent too much time watching and wondering where the hell the pressure is.
When I’m looking to a nickel corner coming off the edge to make something happen, yeah, I’m going to welcome some help up front.
And if Simmons draws extra attention inside, somebody else should have an opportunity. Booker. Sweat. Whoever gets that chance needs to do something with it.
We didn’t bring this guy here so everybody else could stand around and admire him.
That’s why I like the move. It addresses something I’ve been bitching about for years.
What bothers me is how expensive it’s become to address it.
One first-round pick? Okay. I can get there.
The second one made me sit back.
Because my concern with this roster hasn’t just been whether the Bears have enough stars. It’s whether they have enough good football players behind those stars.
Simmons makes the starting lineup better. He doesn’t give us a second roster when somebody gets hurt.
We’ve all had that moment during a game. A guy stays down, the broadcast goes to commercial, and suddenly you’re less worried about the score than who’s coming off the bench.
That’s where depth stops being some boring offseason discussion.
And that’s why I don’t want to hear that draft picks don’t matter.
“They’ll be late first-rounders anyway.”
Fucking great, bro. Can we play the games before we decide where we’re drafting?
Even if those picks land near the end of the round, you still have to find good players. Guys who can step in when somebody gets hurt without the whole fucking thing falling apart.
And when it’s time to pay Caleb, you’ll need young players on affordable deals. You can’t pay everybody.
Go get Simmons. I’m glad you did. But you still have to build the rest of the team.
I brought up Leonard Williams on my podcast for a reason. Seattle acquired him from the Giants for a second-round pick and a fifth.
Different deal. Different circumstances. I understand that. You can’t walk into Tennessee’s office with an old Seahawks receipt and demand they match the price.
But it’s fair to compare what teams give up for major help on the defensive line. And it’s fair to expect a hell of a return when your team parts with two first-rounders.
As for this GM, my read is that he felt real pressure to make this move.
I’ve been watching an offense that gives me reasons to believe, and a defense that still leaves me worried about how far this thing can go.
I liked what my wife and executive editor pointed out about Caleb, too: how much calmer he looked in the pocket. Seeing things. Staying under control. Giving the play a chance.
That’s progress I want to keep seeing. Now I want the defense to do its share so the offense doesn’t have to carry the whole fucking thing.
And with Simmons coming in, I’m already having flashbacks to 2018.
Hicks. Mack. Trevathan. That feeling when the defense took the field and you leaned forward because something good might happen.
God damn, that was fun!
I want that feeling again.
And I do see a difference this time. I believe in this quarterback and this coach. That’s a big part of why I’m willing to get excited about an aggressive move.
It’s also why I care so much about getting the rest of it right.
I don’t want to waste the opportunity.
Which brings us to Seattle.
Some people heard “Simmons” and started planning February. Bro, I’m trying to get through Monday night.
This is the game I’ve been looking at as a test. Go into that building, handle the noise, and play good football against a tough team. Show me the offense can stay composed. Show me the defense can get stops and get off the field when we need it.
Pressure up the middle could make a real difference against Sam Darnold. If Simmons helps create that, and the other guys take advantage, we could have a very different conversation afterward.
I don’t need some ridiculous blowout. Give me a strong win. Give me a fourth quarter where we look like we belong there and know how to finish.
Then I’ll be fired up for a whole new reason.
And after that, there’s still the division. That’s the job. Win those games. Stop needing favors from teams I don’t even give a shit about.
I thought Carolina might help us out against Green Bay. So much for that.
I’d much rather the Bears handle their own business.
Until Monday, we’ll keep arguing about the picks, the price, and whether this GM got it right.
Then the ball gets kicked, and we all want the same fucking thing.
I’m glad Jeffery Simmons is a Bear.
I think the price was steep.
Now go make the rest of the schedule miserable.
Bear down.
We're waiting…
