The Tennessee Titans have reached in principle a four-year, $94 million contract extension with their defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, with $66 million of guaranteed money and $24 million of signing bonus, according to ESPN.

"We are not done yet," Simmons posted on Twitter. "We have so much work to do!" He started in 15 games for the Titans last season and played the final eight of them carrying an injured ankle. Despite that, he still posted 7.5 sacks and was selected into the Pro Bowl and the Second-team All-Pro for the second consecutive time.

The Titans have already activated the fifth-year option in Simmons' rookie deal and will pay him $10.75 million for the 2023 season. Keeping him with a long-term contract is integral to the team's long-term development. It doesn't happen every day that a 19th NFL Draft selection can produce 21 sacks, 28 tackles for a loss and 46 quarterback hits in four seasons.

The Titans appointed Ran Carthon as their general manager in January and he made extension negotiation with Simmons a priority since he took over. The team finished the 2022 regular season with a 7-10 record and, as a result, missed the playoffs. Their starting quarterback (QB) for the previous three seasons, Ryan Tannehill, made only 12 appearances for the Titans in 2022 due to injuries, throwing 212-for-325 to generate 2,536 yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions. The team won six of those 12 games.

Joshua Dobbs and Malik Willis combined to make five starts for the Titans last season when Tannehill was not playing. Tannehill, 34, is in the final year of his three-year, $91 million deal for the 2023 season. There have been rumors about him leaving Nissan Stadium, but Carthon denied them in public in late February.

"Ryan is under contract," Carthon said at the NFL Scouting Combine. "I know everybody wants to make a big deal out of the quarterback position and whether he will or won't be here, but you guys just have to accept the fact that Ryan is under contract for us. Right now, he's a Titan and he will be a Titan."