When Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons didn’t fully participate in mandatory minicamp last month, there was speculation he might do the same in training camp while waiting for a new contract.
However, that did not happen and instead Simmons was out there practicing on the first day of training camp.
When asked about his contract situation on Wednesday, Simmons said he isn’t worried about that and is just focusing on football.
“That’s the message: I’m here,” Simmons said, per Gentry Estes of The Tennessean. “I’m not worried about [my] contract. I’m just focusing on football.”
Simmons is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal after a career year and will be on the fifth-year option in 2023, but the Titans would be wise to lock him up as soon as possible.
Simmons’ projected price tag is already quite high (Spotrac estimates a deal of $21 million over four years) and will only go up, and getting a deal done will no doubt help keep harmony with one of the team’s best players.
But the Titans aren’t just paying for a great player, they also have a leader in Simmons, who fully understands what his role is on this team.
“I know my role on this team,” Simmons said. “I know that I have to lead from the front.”
As Simmons has ascended to one of the best at his position in the NFL, there will inevitably be comparisons to the best interior defender in the league, Los Angeles Rams superstar, Aaron Donald.
The Mississippi State product isn’t trying to hear that comparison, though.
“You can’t compare yourself to Aaron Donald,” he said. “Aaron Donald won the Super Bowl. Jeffery Simmons has never won the Super Bowl. Until we can win the Super Bowl, then we’ll compare ourselves to the other guy.
“But we haven’t done nothing here yet. We’re going to keep working.”