Montez Sweat's Top 100 Inclusion Means His Peers Value Him Higher Than Bears' Fanbase

Montez Sweat landed on the NFL's annual Top 100 list for the second time in his career. His inclusion is a testament to how he's viewed around the league.

Oct 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat (98) reacts after forcing a fumble against New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (not pictured) during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Montez Sweat's tenure in Chicago has been a roller coaster. He provided an immediate spark after the team traded for him ahead of the trade deadline in 2023 and closed the year with six sacks over the final eight games. However, he was slowed by injuries the next year and only had 5.5 sacks as a result. Fans were calling his contract an extreme overpay, and some even thought that 2025 might be his last year in Chicago.

Those concerns proved to be vastly overblown. He bounced back strong with an impressive 2025 campaign that saw him rack up ten sacks and force three fumbles. The performance earned Sweat a ton of respect from his peers, as he landed at 91st on the Top 100 list for the second time in his career.

No. 91 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@ChicagoBears DE Montez Sweat! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/FertEMgkJS

— NFL (@NFL) June 26, 2026

This marked the second time in Sweat's career that he's made the countdown. He landed at 82nd on the list following his first (half-) season in Chicago.

Sweat is an underrated force

Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) is pressured by Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat (98) during the second half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Honestly, I'm a bit surprised that Sweat made it onto the list. He's a rock-solid starter, but I didn't think he had that type of pull around the league. When we predicted the Bears who would make the list a few weeks ago, Sweat wasn't included. He clearly should've been.

Virtually everyone in the Bears' fanbase wanted them to improve their defensive line this offseason. While that had much more to do with the other side of the defensive line (where Dayo Odeyingbo is being criminally overpaid), it still didn't put much stock into Sweat's value. It didn't factor into what he brought to the equation.

Chicago's coaching staff clearly valued the impact that he brought, though. Bears' head coach Ben Johnson praised him when asked about the state of the defensive line at minicamp earlier this month.

Ben Johnson with some praise for DE Montez Sweat ...

"I loved him during the season — but when you watch the self-scout after the year, I think this was a guy who played at a very high level. I talked to him yesterday about, hey, I would argue it was the best year of his career.…

— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) June 10, 2026

While the defensive line struggled mightily to get consistent pressure on opposing QBs last year, the 29-year-old wasn't the biggest issue in that equation. He also wasn't the second, third, or fourth biggest issue.

Outside of the boatload of money they spent on Odeyingbo, they also struggled mightily to get consistent push from their interior. While they didn't make any massive signings there, there is reason to believe that Odeyingbo could provide some more juice if he's rushing from the inside (where he was more effective in Indianapolis). If Sweat can repeat his performance from a year ago, and Austin Booker can take a step forward in his development, then the defensive line woes could once again prove to be premature.

Chicago Bears defensive lineman Montez Sweat (98) deflects a pass attempt by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) in the second quarter of the NFL football game between Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Nov. 2, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Now, I know the Top 100 list has always been a popularity contest. That's the reason Justin Fields was named the 86th best player after an exciting 2022 campaign where he looked like the second coming of a young Michael Vick (including Vick's underwhelming passing numbers). He was exciting and had more supporters around the league than Trevor Lawrence, who notably landed at 96th on that year's list.

It's not the most prestigious honor that can be bestowed on a player, but it's still an indication that they have earned a significant amount of respect from their peers. For the players, that definitely means something.