LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Bears offensive coordinator Press Taylor knew that something was up – that something was good afoot inside Halas Hall.
“You start hearing clapping down the hall at noon or whatever time it was,” Taylor said.
And then came an unexpected FaceTime call from his brother, Zac – the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals.
“We don’t normally talk until like late in the week,” Taylor said.
Zac had a huge smile on his face – on a Thursday.
“I’m like, ‘Thank you. We’re excited,’” Taylor said on Friday morning at Halas Hall. “And he’s like, ‘No. We play the Titans this week.’ Oh, so that makes a lot more sense for why you’re excited. And he’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to go put in a couple more passes in there.’”
The Bears’ acquisition of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was celebrated in Cincinnati and across the AFC. The Bears traded for a bona fide game-wrecker – one who is feared and respected throughout the entire NFL.
This is where this week’s takeaways column begins.
1. Jeffery Simmons is a multiplier who helps every level of the Bears defense: the pass rush, the run defense, third-down percentage, pass coverage, takeaway potential – everything.
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