Bears at Seahawks Game Day: Jeffery Simmons Is Expected to Play a Real Role, Montez Sweat Returns, and Seattle Shuffles Its Line
Kickoff is 7:15 p.m. CT at Lumen Field on ESPN and WCIU. Chicago is 5-2, Seattle 4-3 — and both defensive and offensive lines look different from a week ago.
The Bears' newest piece is expected to matter on his first night. Head coach Ben Johnson has said newly acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is expected to play a substantial role against Seattle on Monday night, though his workload could be somewhat limited, according to Heavy's report of Johnson's comments. Simmons arrived in the blockbuster trade with Tennessee on Thursday, October 29, leaving only a few days to integrate him into the defense.
Johnson's caution has a number behind it. As Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith noted on Sunday, Simmons played 87 percent of Tennessee's defensive snaps through his first seven games this season. 'He might not be quite that high Week 1 for us,' Johnson said, as carried in the Heavy report. Simmons has four sacks through seven appearances after a career-high 11 in 2025, and, per NFL.com's breakdown of the trade as carried in the same report, his 28 quarterback pressures through seven games were the most among defensive tackles entering Week 8.
Chicago's front gets a second boost: pass rusher Montez Sweat returns following a two-game suspension. Across the line, Seattle debuts a revamped offensive front — eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson starts at left guard, Grey Zabel shifts to right guard, and Josh Jones is expected to replace starting left tackle Charles Cross, who has been ruled out with an ankle injury. Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald has said the Seahawks must account for Simmons regardless of his short time in Chicago.
The rest of the game-day picture: Chicago is 5-2 after a 30-24 win over New England, Seattle is 4-3 and the defending Super Bowl champion after a 20-3 win over Kansas City, and Seattle is favored by about three points with a 46.5-point total, according to the game listings read this run. Running back Kyle Monangai is out for Chicago; linebacker D'Marco Jackson (ankle) and cornerback Malik Muhammad (toe) were listed questionable. Kickoff is Monday at 7:15 p.m. CT at Lumen Field, on ESPN nationally and WCIU (The U) in the Chicago area, with ESPN Chicago on radio.
