Newly arrived All-Pro players add compelling angle to Bears vs. Seahawks

Thanks to a pair of blockbuster trades this week, there could be an interesting matchup on the interior lines Monday night when the Chicago Bears play the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks in Seattle.

The Bears (5-2) acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans on Thursday in exchange for Chicago’s first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028, along with a fourth-rounder in next year’s draft. The Bears also received a fifth-round selection in 2028.

The price was high because Simmons, who had a career-high 11 sacks last season, reportedly signed a three-year, $100 million extension in the offseason, putting him under contract through 2030.

The Seahawks (4-3) dealt for All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson from Indianapolis on Tuesday in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2027 and a fifth-rounder in 2028. Nelson’s contract expires after this season.

Nelson and Simmons met on the field two weeks ago when the Colts lost to the Titans 26-20 in Indianapolis.

“He’s an amazing football player, competitor. I was like, ‘Man, can’t get away from this guy,'” said Nelson, a three-time first-team All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl honoree. “It’ll be another battle against him this week.”

The Seahawks are familiar with Simmons after holding joint practices with Tennessee in Nashville in both 2024 and 2026. They also played the Titans last season in Nashville, winning 30-24.

“An elite player that has an elite pass rush, high motor, high-effort guy,” Seahawks guard Grey Zabel said of Simmons. “It’s one of those deals you wake up this morning and smile a little bit as you look at it. But at the end of the day, you want to go against the best and he is the best. It’s going to be a fun time Monday night.”

Simmons will reunite with his former Mississippi State teammate Montez Sweat, a defensive end for the Bears. Sweat is expected to return this week following a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Simmons, a first-team All-Pro in 2025 and a four-time Pro Bowl selection, was asked Wednesday about the possibility of being traded with the Titans off to a 1-6 start.

“Each and every day I wake up, my goal is to just be where my feet are at,” said Simmons, “never looking ahead right now. It’s just be in the moment, and that’s from each and every day, from game day, my goal just never changes. I don’t worry about the things I can’t control. Them types of things are a distraction.”

The Bears have won their past two games since quarterback Caleb Williams returned from a hamstring injury. Williams went 30 of 36 for 305 yards and a touchdown in a 31-23 victory Oct. 18 at Atlanta, and he was 22 of 33 for 308 yards and two TDs in a 30-24 win Oct. 22 over visiting New England.

Williams and the Bears will be going up against a Seattle defense that didn’t allow quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the previously undefeated Kansas City Chiefs to reach the red zone last Sunday night. The Seahawks prevailed 20-3 to snap a two-game skid.

“It’s going to be a good challenge for us,” Williams said. “We’ve got to get up there, we’ve got to communicate, we’ve got to get plays going. We’ve got to complete the ball.

“I’ve got to do my best, giving the best ball to the guys, and the O-line has to — we have to limit flags and all of those different things, so we’ve got a challenge ahead of us, and that’s what we want,” he continued. “That’s what we’re excited about, and we accept those challenges.”

On the injury front, Bears running back Kyle Monangai (thumb/toe) missed practice time this week. The Seahawks had four players who didn’t participate on Thursday: left tackle Charles Cross (ankle), wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee), running back Velus Jones Jr. (hamstring) and linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (ankle).

Seattle running back Zach Charbonnet was a full participant in practice and could make his season debut after offseason knee surgery.

–Field Level Media