Midway through the 2023 campaign, the Chicago Bears acquired edge rusher Montez Sweat in a trade deadline deal with the Washington Commanders.
It was a huge move for the Bears, who were in desperate need of a pass rusher and found one of the more overlooked ones in the NFL. They then handed him a four-year, $98 million contract extension.
Sweat's first half-season in Chicago was tremendous, as he racked up 25 tackles and six sacks in nine games with the Bears, totaling 57 tackles, 12.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 17 games between Washington and Chicago overall.
There were heavy expectations for Sweat heading into 2024, but he plodded through a pedestrian campaign, finishing with 32 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 16 contests. He battled injuries throughout the year and also managed a career-low 12 quarterback hits.
So, yeah; it wasn't a great year for Sweat, who is an incredibly expensive piece now in the prime of his NFL career.
The 28-year-old is now preparing for his second full season in the Windy City, and this time around, he must be much more effective in order to justify his contract. Given that he is surely healthier now after having several months to rest, that should be on the menu.
However, if Sweat is unable to deliver early and often in 2025, it could create a rather messy situation for the Bears, who will be paying a big chunk of money to a potentially declining player.
Do we have evidence that the former first-round pick is, in fact, in decline? Not yet, but if he puts forth another middling showing this fall, those questions will begin to creep in.
Chicago is viewed by many as a major sleeper in the NFC going into the new season, but the Bears' ailing pass rush is definitely a problem area. They signed Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency, but he himself was inconsistent during his time with the Indianapolis Colts.
What Chicago actually needs is a big year from Sweat, who proved that he absolutely has it within him to be one of the top pass rushers in football. If he falters, the Bears' defense may suffer with it, and it could sabotage any chance Chicago has of contending in the rugged NFC North.
