The Titans and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons have worked out a new deal that raises the bar, considerably, for the market at his position.
The initial reports pegged the new contract as a three-year, $105.8 million extension. That creates a new-money average of $35.2 million.
But there’s more to the deal than that, as usual. And, as usual, we’ve tracked down the complete details of what is a new five-year contract between the Titans and Simmons, who capped the 2025 season with the first All-Pro distinction of his seven-year career.
Here’s the full contract, per a source with knowledge of the terms:
1. Signing bonus: $20 million.
2. 2026 base salary: $13 million, fully guaranteed.
3. 2027 option bonus: $5.5 million.
4. 2027 workout bonus: $250,000, fully guaranteed (but must be earned).
5. 2027 base salary: $21.45 million, fully guaranteed.
6. 2028 90-man offseason roster bonus: $2.5 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in March 2027.
7. 2028 workout bonus: $250,000, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in March 2027 (but must be earned).
8. 2028 base salary: $27.05 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in March 2027.
9. 2029 90-man offseason roster bonus: $5.5 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in March 2028.
10. 2029 workout bonus: $250,000.
11. 2029 base salary: $22.251 million, $4.5 million of which is guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in March 2028.
12. 2030 90-man offseason roster bonus: $1 million.
13. 2030 workout bonus: $250,000.
14. 2030 base salary: $30.75 million.
The contract carries $60.2 million fully guaranteed at signing. The practical guarantee is $90 million, since the third year becomes guaranteed after the first season.
Simmons becomes the first defensive tackle to have $100 million in total guarantees at signing.
The new-money average is $35.276 million. Factoring in the compensation previously owed through 2027, it’s a five-year deal with an average from signing of $30 million.
One last note. At a time when more and more teams are insisting on per-game active roster bonuses (and when teams like the Titans are routinely using them for significant veteran contracts), the Simmons deal contains none.
In all, it’s a firm three-year, $90 million commitment, with another $10 million that will be guaranteed into the fourth season.
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