Ryan Poles expects Jeffery Simmons to make his Bears debut Monday night against the Seahawks in Seattle.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Poles said he would assume Simmons plays against the Seahawks, though he’ll leave the final call to Ben Johnson and the coaching staff. Simmons arrived at Halas Hall on Thursday and is scheduled to speak after practice today.
Poles also shared how Montez Sweat, Simmons’s former teammate at Mississippi State, is taking the reunion:
“Talking with Montez, he’s locked in, ready to go. This is one of his guys, and I think he elevates his game being around Jeffery,” Poles told reporters at Halas Hall.
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) pressures New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesHow Much Will Jeffery Simmons Play?
Simmons is used to playing a lot. He’s been on the field for at least 80 percent of his team’s defensive snaps every season since 2020, and he played 425 of Tennessee’s 490 defensive snaps (86.7 percent) through seven games this year, the most of any interior defender in the league.
The best comparison might be Sweat himself. Chicago acquired him from Washington at the 2023 deadline on a Tuesday, and he made his debut that Sunday in New Orleans. The plan was to use him on third downs and in two-minute situations, with a handful of early-down snaps mixed in. He played 42 snaps, about 65 percent, a bit below the roughly 75 percent he’d been playing in Washington.
Khalil Mack’s debut in 2018 landed in almost the same spot. Eight days after the trade, he played 42 snaps (about 70 percent) at Lambeau on a clear pitch count, and he still took over the first half with a strip-sack and a pick-six.
Simmons has even less time to prepare. He gets two practices and a Sunday walkthrough before a cross-country flight and a Monday night game in one of the league’s loudest stadiums. He’s in game shape, but he’s learning Dennis Allen’s calls, stunts, and communication on the fly.
James Lynch is one of a handful of new defensive linemen on the 2026 Bears. © Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesIt also helps that the Bears’ defense doesn’t see a ton of snaps, thanks to an offense that controls the clock. The defense played just 54 snaps against New England last week. My guess is Simmons lands in the 35-to-40 snap range, roughly two-thirds of the defense’s plays.
Grady Jarrett has anchored the interior all season and played 42 snaps (78 percent) against the Patriots. James Lynch (33), Kentavius Street (23), Neville Gallimore (17), and rookie Jordan van den Berg (5) filled out the rest. Street started next to Jarrett before the trade and should remain a regular part of the rotation.
If the Bears do limit Simmons, the best way to use him is the way Titans head coach Robert Saleh said he planned to use him this summer: save him for the moments that swing games. Start him, let Street and Lynch handle more of the early-down work, and make sure he’s on the field for third downs, the red zone, and any two-minute drive. That’s where a defensive tackle with the best pass rush win rate at his position matters most, and it’s exactly where the Bears’ interior has struggled to get home all year.
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