Tennessee locks down its elite interior disruptor with a record-shattering extension, ensuring the two-time Pro Bowler anchors a revamped defensive front under new head coach Robert Saleh.
The Tennessee Titans are aware of the kind of star they have on the defensive line.
There are very few players like Jeffery Simmons in the NFL today. Aaron Donald is a close comparison as an interior defensive lineman who wreaked havoc by getting behind the offensive line with ease, not only affecting the running game but also efficiently sacking quarterbacks.
Simmons has been with the Titans since 2019, after being drafted out of Mississippi State. It didn't take long for Simmons to start making Pro Bowls.
He made two consecutive Pro Bowls from 2021-2022. He played only 12 games in 2023 due to injury and missed the event that season, but he has picked right up where he left off over the last two years.
He's fresh off the best season of his NFL career, and he may not have been playing at full health. Simmons recorded 67 total tackles, 11 sacks, and 17 TFLs, but he recently shared that he had just gotten his elbow cleaned up back in February after being unable to extend it fully.
The Titans understood how important Simmons is to this franchise and didn't waste any time offering him an extension. His contract was set to run out in 2028 per Spotrac, but the Titans made sure to take care of it a few years early.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Titans awarded Simmons a three-year extension, worth $35.3 million per year. This means the contract will be worth $105.9 million.
As a bonus, $100 million of that contract is guaranteed. Simmons is now the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history, per Schefter.
I wrote about how the Titans needed to just give Simmons a blank check when it came time to give him another extension. A player like Simmons has immense value, and the Titans realized how important it was to get his contract situated before the 2026 season.
Along with being extended by the Titans, Simmons now has more help on the defensive line. The Titans have added John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, Keldric Faulk, and many other pieces between the trenches to help combat an inconsistent pass rush in 2025.
Despite Simmons' best efforts, the Titans finished last season with 42 sacks as a team, which ranked 14th in the NFL. Outside of Simmons, the next best pass rushers were Arden Key, Jihad Ward, Jalyen Harrell and Dre'Mont Jones.
Neither of those four were able to record more than 5.5 sacks last season.
The Titans have now supported Simmons in several ways, giving him more help on the defensive line and ensuring he understands just how appreciated he is by the franchise after securing his extension.
Simmons is staying with the Titans for many more years, and Music City couldn't be happier.
