The deadline's two biggest additions meet Sunday in Seattle

Two trades, one Sunday

The Seattle Seahawks host the Chicago Bears at Lumen Field on November 2, 2026, with kickoff set for 5:15 p.m. PT. Seattle enters the game after a win over the Kansas City Chiefs the previous week, and media analysts are split on the outcome: Mike Florio predicts a 20-14 Seahawks win, Pete Prisco a 24-17 Seahawks win, and Vic Tafur a Bears win. What makes the matchup unusual is that both teams will line up with a headline trade-deadline addition acquired from another club days earlier. m:…7373

Seattle's new guard

Seattle acquired veteran guard Quenton Nelson in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, and the welcome from his new locker room has been effusive. Safety Julian Love, who was Nelson's teammate at Notre Dame starting in 2016, described him as a walking Hall of Famer; quarterback Sam Darnold said Nelson adds significant experience to the offensive group; and defensive lineman Byron Murphy II said Nelson can help the team win games and improve the performance of those around him. Nelson is an eight-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro, and defensive lineman Leonard Williams said Nelson's success comes from a combination of talent, technique and effort. m:…3488

The practical work is less glamorous. Seattle held its first practice of the week on Thursday, October 29, and Darnold said Nelson's addition changed three of the five offensive line spots from the previous Sunday. The team has narrowed its offensive focus to a more concise game plan following its mini-bye week, with an emphasis on moving the ball on first and second down to stay out of third-down situations. Darnold also acknowledged the offense scored only 20 points in its previous game despite moving the ball well, because of red-zone struggles. Williams, who is mentoring Nelson and guard Anthony Bradford on the business side of the organization, said his own integration into Seattle only truly happened after he re-signed following his initial trade period. m:…3488 m:…0345 m:…7280

Chicago's new tackle

Chicago acquired three-time All-Pro defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans, sending a 2027 first-round selection, a 2028 first-round selection and a 2027 fourth-round selection to Tennessee, and receiving a 2028 fifth-round selection back. Simmons is under contract with the Bears through 2030. General manager Ryan Poles highlighted Simmons' intensity and leadership, and the trade was facilitated by a long-standing relationship between Poles and Titans executive Mike Borgonzi, who worked together in Kansas City's personnel department from 2009 to 2021. m:…5206 m:…1179

Simmons took part in his first practice with Chicago on Friday and said he is excited to be able to help the Bears compete for a championship, interpreting the trade of two first-round picks as evidence of that ambition. He has recorded 46.5 sacks over his eight-season career with Tennessee, including 11.0 in 2025 and 4.0 in seven games in 2026, along with 414 career tackles and 96 quarterback hits. He is reunited with former Mississippi State line-mate Montez Sweat, thanked Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk and the organization, and has been a finalist for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for the last two years. He said he is uncertain about his playing time against Seattle. m:…2802 m:…1179

What to watch

The matchup turns on two details the teams themselves flagged. Darnold called Simmons a versatile interior defensive lineman who can also play wide to create mismatches, which matters against a reshuffled Seattle line still learning its cadences; Darnold said changing cadences keeps the defense from attacking. On the other side, Williams described Chicago's offense as a high-volume, motion-heavy rushing attack averaging 72 plays per game, effective through scheme, motion and a full team effort rather than reliance on a single player, and said Seattle's third-down mantra is to earn the right to rush by winning on first and second downs. m:…0345 m:…7280