NFL Rumors: Titans' Jeffery Simmons Eyed By Several Teams; Trade 'Not Happening'

Several teams have expressed interest in trading for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons only to be rebuffed by the Tennessee Titans, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

"Those teams were all told the same refrain: Not happening," Rapoport and Pelissero wrote.

Simmons, who makes a base salary of $16.5 million this season, has a potential out in his contract after 2025. The former Pro Bowler has recorded 17 combined tackles and 1.0 sacks in five starts for the Titans.

He is one of several "top defenders" being pursued ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline, according to Rapoport and Pelissero.

These include Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, neither of whom are expected to be traded before the deadline, according to Rapoport and Pelissero.

The Titans are one of three AFC teams to have recorded just one win heading into Week 8. This is a team that doesn't look like it's on track to take the next step forward in their rebuild, and has already traded star wideout DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs.

It makes sense that general manager Ran Carthon would have heard from teams looking to bolster their defensive depth, who might know stars like Garrett and Crosby aren't likely to hit the market and have pegged the Titans as likely sellers.

But Simmons, who has been consistently ranked by PFF as one of the league's top interior defenders over the past few seasons, has seen his ranking dip this year and is now two seasons out from his last 7.5-sack Pro Bowl campaign in 2022.

Those declining stats, combined with the fact that he is earning one of the highest interior defender salaries in the NFL, means there's a chance the Titans might have to retain some of his contract in order to move him.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini recently reported that the Titans consider Simmons "a big part of their future." Given that consideration and the potential cost of trading him, it sounds like Simmons is on track to remain in Nashville past the November deadline.