The Bears are finally getting the pass rusher they’ve coveted after agreeing to a trade for Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat, a source said. They dealt their 2024 second-round pick to get him.
Sweat, 27, has 351⁄2 sacks in 67 games since the Commanders drafted him in the first round in 2019. He has 61⁄2 sacks this season, which is more than any Bears player.
He had 11⁄2 sacks against the Bears when they beat the Commanders 40-20 in Week 5.
The Bears are last in the NFL with just 10 sacks and were the worst in the league last season as well with 20.
The trade for Sweat clearly is intended to be a long-term move. He is in the final season of his rookie contract and will be looking for a massive extension. Spotrac projects his market value deal at four years, $66.5 million.
This is the second time general manager Ryan Poles has taken a big swing at the trade deadline. Last year, he dealt a second-round pick to the Steelers for wide receiver Chase Claypool.
That pick ended up being No. 32 overall, and the Bears unloaded Claypool for next to nothing after just 10 games. The pick they’re sending to the Commanders currently is slotted at No. 35.