What the Titans told Jeffery Simmons about his contract
Tennessee Titans star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is a likely candidate for a well earned contract extension this offseason. Simmons is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract in 2023 as an established star on Tennessee's defensive line. Over the last two seasons, Simmons has recorded 16 sacks, 108 tackles, 30 quarterback […]
Tennessee Titans star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is a likely candidate for a well earned contract extension this offseason.
Simmons is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract in 2023 as an established star on Tennessee's defensive line. Over the last two seasons, Simmons has recorded 16 sacks, 108 tackles, 30 quarterback hits, and 13 passes defended. He has also received Pro Bowl honors in back-to-back seasons.
Even with all that production, Simmons' dominance up front extends well beyond the stat sheet. He commands so much attention when he is on the field that he makes life much easier for his teammates rushing the passer. More than happy to put the team first and his numbers second, Simmons is a truly an unselfish superstar, and the Titans are lucky to have him in Nashville.
Now the Titans' goal needs to be keeping Simmons in town for the foreseeable future.
It's not secret that Simmons will likely be seeking a contract extension this offseason. The former Mississippi State Bulldog has always preferred to keep contract discussions private and focus on football, but rumors of a potential extension date back to the beginning of last offseason and this will be the Titans' last opportunity to lock him up before he becomes eligible for free agency.
With the Titans bringing in a new GM in Ran Carthon for this offseason, step one of the contract negotiation process for both Simmons and Carthon will be cultivating a relationship between the two parties. That process is already underway.
Shortly after Carthon was hired by the Titans, Simmons met with the new GM to discuss his future, and the two hit it off instantly. Carthon told Simmons that reaching an agreement with him will be one of his top priorities.
"We had a great talk, and him saying I am one of his priorities, that meant a lot," Simmons said of the meeting with Carthon. "I feel like he is the person for this job. There's not much I can say especially with talk of the contract – my (agent) is handling that. But whenever we get to that point – I feel very confident that I'll be here in Tennessee, and I want to be in Tennessee. So, we'll see how that goes."
While Simmons said he was not made any promises during his meeting with Carthon, he clearly feels confident that he has a future with the Titans and that these negotiations are in good hands. He did not have a bad word to say about Carthon or the initial meeting between the two.
"One thousand percent he's a great hire," said Simmons. "I think Miss Amy made a hell of a hire. The time we talked, and I sat down in his office, it was unbelievable. He's an unbelievable guy. I can't say nothing bad about him."
Ran Carthon is off to a very strong start. Extending Simmons absolutely needs to be on the short to-do list for this offseason. He is a game breaking talent at a premium position, and if Tennessee learned anything from the situation regarding A.J. Brown last offseason it's that when you draft superstars, you're better off paying them to keep them around.
The Titans' already have Harold Landry locked up through 2026, and adding Simmons to the fold longterm would give Tennessee two defensive stars to build around moving forward.
Image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
