AP source: Titans reach 4-year deal with Pro Bowler Simmons

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A person familiar with the deal says the Tennessee Titans agreed Friday to a four-year contract extension with two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons.

The Titans picked up the two-time defensive captain's fifth-year option for 2023 for $10.76 million last April. The person confirmed the extension on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the Titans had not announced the deal.

ESPN.com first reported the deal was worth up to $94 million with $66 million guaranteed, including a $24 million signing bonus.

Agent Paul DeRousselle did not return messages from the AP. He shared a photo of himself and Simmons on social media along with Simmons' own social media post that he wasn't done in Tennessee

“We have so much work to do!” Simmons wrote.

The four-year extension should provide some much-needed space under the salary cap for Tennessee, who ranked 23rd in the NFL with $7.4 million according to Spotrac.com.

Simmons was the 19th pick overall in the 2019 draft, dropping to Tennessee after tearing his left ACL in February preparing for the draft.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman wound up starting seven of nine games played as a rookie in 2019, and he has started 54 of 56 games played. Simmons missed two games last season with an injured ankle and said at the end of the season he needed shots in his ankle to finish the season.

Simmons set a career-high with 8 1/2 sacks in 2021, and he finished second last season with 7 1/2 sacks, leading the Titans in sacks in five games. He also had nine tackles for loss with 43 quarterback pressures with 53 tackles.