Jeffery Simmons has been traded from the Tennessee Titans to the Chicago Bears in a blockbuster deal that sends two first-round picks to Tennessee, but not before New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh attempted an unconventional route to acquire the star defensive tackle.
According to The Athletic's Jonathan Jones, Harbaugh called Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk directly to try to jump the queue in the Simmons sweepstakes. The move was described as bold and potentially unpopular, with one general manager telling Jones that Harbaugh's call to the top "violates a code amongst primary football decision-makers, that they will only deal with each other." Giants general manager Joe Schoen had previously contacted Titans GM Mike Bogonzi, who informed Schoen and other teams that Simmons would not be traded. Harbaugh received the same answer from Strunk.
Ultimately, the Bears' offer of 2027 and 2028 first-round picks plus a 2027 fourth-round pick in exchange for Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round pick proved too good to pass up. Bears GM Ryan Poles had reportedly been keen on Simmons since the 2019 NFL Draft, when both Poles and Borgonzi worked for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Harbaugh reports directly to Giants ownership rather than to Schoen, an unusual chain of command that apparently empowered him to pursue such an unorthodox trade approach. The Giants, currently 4-2-1 and leading the NFC East, are seeking their first playoff appearance since 2022. After trading for quarterback J.J. McCarthy and naming him the starter following an injury to Jaxson Dart, New York is expected to continue adding talent before the November 10 trade deadline, with defensive line and running back identified as key positions of need.
