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The Bears are trading a 2024 second-round draft pick to the Washington Commanders in exchange for pass rusher Montez Sweat, according to multiple reports.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the move. The NFL Network has also reported that a deal is in the works. Sweat is in the final year of his contract and will be due for an extension following the 2023 season. The Bears have a projected $110 million in salary cap space available next season.
Sweat, 27, was a 2019 first-round draft pick (26th overall) of the Commanders. He currently has 6.5 sacks this season and has totaled 35.5 sacks in 67 career games. The Bears had an up close and personal look at Sweat earlier this month when they faced the Commanders at FedEx Field. Sweat had 1.5 sacks in that Oct. 5 matchup.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles entered the day with seven draft picks in next April’s draft, including two first-round picks. After trading a second-round pick to Washington, the Bears still have those two first-round picks, plus a third-round pick, two picks in the fourth round and their own fifth-round pick.
If the season ended today, the Bears’ 2024 second-round pick that is going to Washington would be the No. 35 overall draft pick.
The Bears badly needed to upgrade the defensive end position. A year removed from ranking as the worst pass rush in football, the Bears are once again dead last in sacks (10) and sack rate (3.4% of pass attempts). Sweat will provide an immediate boost.
Poles did not find a pass rusher in the 2023 draft. Despite a clear hole on the roster, he did not select a single defensive end with any of his 10 draft picks. Instead, he waited until just before training camp to sign Yannick Ngakoue to a one-year, $10 million contract and pair him with fellow free agent DeMarcus Walker. Ngakoue has two sacks so far this season, which leads the team. Bears defensive linemen have totaled just 6.5 sacks through the first eight games of the 2023 season.
Sweat will likely earn himself a huge, multiyear contract extension with the Bears. They wouldn’t be trading for him if they didn’t believe he was worth paying. Sweat has never reached double-digit sacks in a season, but he has had at least seven sacks during each season in which he played at least 16 games. In 17 games last season, he had eight sacks and 14 tackles for loss.
The Commanders had two highly sought-after defensive ends currently playing in the final year of their contracts. Chase Young is also going to be a free agent next spring. Sweat was likely the cheaper of the two trade targets.
It’s possible the Bears could recoup some trade capital if they find a deal for cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who has reportedly been given permission to seek a trade. The trade deadline is 3 p.m. Tuesday.
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