Any rumored interest the Detroit Lions may have had in attempting to acquire defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is now squashed. The Tennessee Titans locked up their standout DT with a lucrative new contract on Friday that will keep Simmons in Nashville for the foreseeable future.
Reports indicate Simmons’ new contract is for four years and $94 million total, with $66 million guaranteed upon signing. Simmons was entering the final year of his rookie contract, a fifth-year option for the No. 19 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
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While the Lions never expressed any interest or impetus in trying to trade for Simmons, the concept gained considerable steam on talk radio and the blogosphere. Simmons made perfect sense as a potential target; he’s earned Pro Bowl berths in each of the last two seasons, bagging 16 combined sacks and 54 total tackles in each campaign. He’s one of the best young defensive tackles in the game and will now be paid as one of the very best for the next four years. Good for the Titans, bad for the longing Lions fans.