The Bears are finally getting the Montez Sweat they paid for

Montez Sweat has begun to heat up in recent weeks.

Oct 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat (98) takes the field before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Before this season began, Montez Sweat's tenure in Chicago was a tale of two halves.

The Bears flipped a second-round pick to Washington for the pass-rusher ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline in 2023. Some questioned the move at the time, as the Bears were 2-6 and coming off a blowout loss against the Chargers. The pick looked destined to be near the top of the round.

Chicago also wasted no time in doubling down on their new investment, resigning him to a four-year, $98 million deal four days after landing at O'Hare. The deal made him the league's fifth-highest-paid pass rusher. Some also questioned if he was worthy of such a lofty price tag after never reaching double-digit sacks during his first four years in Washington.

Sweat's arrival immediately helped turn Chicago's defense, which had previously been struggling in virtually every area, into one of the league's best units. Most impressively, they forced 19 turnovers over the final nine weeks after having only nine takeaways over the first half of the year.

Sweat finished the year with 6 sacks over the final nine games after putting up 6 1/2 during the first half of the year in Washington. He became the first player in NFL history to lead two teams in sacks in one season and earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his career for his efforts.

Much was expected from Sweat after a breakout first season in Chicago, but he failed to live up to expectations in 2024. He battled through lingering injuries throughout the year and struggled to make nearly as much of an impact. Sweat finished the year with only 5.5 sacks, which marked the second-lowest total of his career (and he only played 10 games when he had his career-low of 5).

Fast-forward to this season, and expectations were certainly tempered. Some expected a bounce-back, while others felt scorned by a lack of production from '24. While Sweat might've stumbled out of the gates a bit, as he only had one sack through the first five games, he has really begun to heat up recently.

The 29-year-old has had a sack in each of the past four games (and he finished with 1.5 against New York) and has forced two fumbles over the previous five. He has already matched both totals from last year with seven games to go. He's also been one of the league's most disruptive pass-rushers when it comes to getting pressure on opposing QBs.

This is a Montez Sweat post. https://t.co/79UrstvX56

— Grim Cutty (@iamcogs) October 16, 2025

Sweat has also more than held his own against the run. He has rarely been caught out of position and ranks eighth amongst defensive ends with 20 solo tackles.

The Bears are currently in the middle-of-the-pack in terms of getting after the QB with 21 sacks (they're tied for 18th, but the Commanders and Patriots only have one more and have not yet had their Bye Week), but there is room to grow in that category with Austin Booker's recent return to the lineup.

Still, the Bears' defense needs exactly what it's gotten from the $98 million man in recent weeks. Hopefully he will be able to keep it up with the playoffs in sight.

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