I'm trying not to be biased or angry regarding the Monday Night Football matchup to conclude Week 8 as the Chicago Bears (5-2) visit the Seattle Seahawks (4--3) in a matchup of reigning NFC division winners. I was so ready to see them face off in the 2025 NFC Championship Game but sadly the Bears couldn't hold up their end of the bargain with an overtime home loss in the Divisional Round against the Rams. It's a typical 8:15 p.m. ET kick but only ESPN this week. There is a ManningCast too.
The NBA and MLB trade deadlines have always been busy and entertaining, but the NFL's used to be a snoozer. That's not the case this year with the deadline on Nov. 10 and neither of these NFC contenders waited to make their big moves. Last week, Seattle landed Pro Bowl offensive guard Quinten Nelson from Indianapolis and Chicago landed Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons from Tennessee. Apparently, it's time to raid the AFC South bottom-feeders. I'm assuming both guys make their debut with their new clubs tonight.
No doubt the Seahawks' offensive line has disappointed, allowing 16 sacks and with a running game averaging 3.9 yards per carry that ranked 23rd entering Week 8. Nelson didn't cost a first-round pick because he's a pending free agent but one of four offensive players since the 1970 merger to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of their first eight seasons. The others are running backs Franco Harris and Barry Sanders and offensive tackle Joe Thomas. Nelson will replace Anthony Bradford in the starting lineup.
Chicago's defensive line was a glaring weakness entering the season to those who follow the team, and nothing has changed despite the good start. Simmons is under contract through 2030, so he cost a lot more than Nelson did with 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, and a 2027 fourth-round pick going to Tennessee. Those first-rounders at least should be in the 20s. Hopefully at 32!
Over eight seasons, Simmons has 46.5 sacks (second among all defensive tackles since 2019), nine forced fumbles (tied for first), seven fumble recoveries (second), 31 pass breakups (second), 65.5 disrupted dropbacks (second) and 414 tackles (third). Simmons is good against the pass and run. Chicago's defense ranks 23rd in Pass Rush Win Rate from interior defenders this season at 13% per ESPN, while Simmons' 27% Pass Rush Win Rate leads the league among defensive tackles. The Bears also sit 26th in run stop win rate.
Chicago has now traded multiple first-round picks for veteran players three times (also Jay Cutler in 2009 and Khalil Mack in 2018) since 1990, the most of any team. Hopefully this works out better than those. Simmons is only the seventh player overall traded in-season for two first-round picks in the last 40 years but second in two. The Jets two first-rounders last year in sending All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis. That deal now looks spectacular for New York and brutal for Indy.
While Nelson didn't really move Seattle's futures odds much because offensive guards don't do that, Chicago generally improved from +1400 to +1100 to win the Super Bowl. That's a decent shift for someone who isn't a pure pass-rusher.
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