Oct 11, 2025 1:37 PM EDT

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans (1-4) are coming off of their first win of the 2025 season in Week 5. No matter what direction the next 11 games go, general manager Mike Borgonzi must not trade defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons under any circumstances.

While every player has a draft capital price tag, Tennessee cannot afford to make the same mistake they did in 2022 when they traded away wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Jeffery Simmons in nearly invaluable

Simmons, 28, is playing the best football of his career.

In fact, Simmons is the best interior defensive lineman in the NFL through the first five weeks. The 2019 first-round pick leads his position in sacks (4) and total pressures (24). Simmons ranks second in forced fumbles (1), stops (14) and hurries (15).

He is third among qualified players in quarterback hits (5) so far this year.

“We’ve been looking for a couple of weeks now to have our best players play their best, and I think we got that from quite a few guys over the course of the game,” coach Brian Callahan said this week. “And Jeff Simmons, I think, leads the charge. The way that Jeff’s playing right now, as I’ve said multiple times, is about as good as anybody in football, and he continues to set the standard for what we’re looking for from our football team, from an energy and effort perspective, and then is making a ton of plays.”

Understanding that the Titans are in the midst of rebuilding their roster around 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, Simmons is not someone you just trade away for draft capital.

Ward needs support in every phase of the game, not just from what surrounds him on offense. We have seen time and time again that a defense that impact opposing quarterbacks and can create turnovers is as much a cheat code for a team as anything. The more you can limit your opponents’ possessions, the more opportunities your offense can have.

Simmons is exactly the kind of football life hack that Tennessee must grow and scheme around.

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.

About the author

Tennessee Titans Beat Writer

Buck Reising covers the Tennessee Titans for the A to Z Sports trending and breaking news team.