The Bears were expected by many to be sellers as the 2023 NFL trade deadline approached. Instead, they ended up being one of the day's first buyers.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported shortly before noon ET that the Bears had agreed to acquire edge rusher Montez Sweat from the Commanders in exchange for a second-round draft pick.
Sweat, 27, was a first-round pick by Washington in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Mississippi State product has developed into a strong all-around player at the NFL level, totaling 35.5 sacks in 67 career games while playing well against the run.
Sweat has continued to play well in 2023. He is on pace for a career-high in sacks, having notched 6.5 through eight games, and he has posted a respectable 19 pressures.
Thus, it's easy to understand why the Bears liked Sweat as a player. What's a bit harder to understand is why Chicago traded for him.
The Bears are currently 2-6 and are tied with the Patriots and Giants for the third-worst record in the NFL. They aren't likely to make a playoff push, so surrendering a potential early pick — that projects to be the 35th overall through eight weeks — seems like a repeat of the Chase Claypool trade of 2022.
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So, why did the Bears trade for Sweat? Here's a breakdown of their decision to add to their defense at the 2023 NFL trade deadline.
Why did the Bears trade for Montez Sweat?
Bears' lackluster pass rush
The top reason that the Bears traded for Sweat was to upgrade what has been one of the NFL's worst pass rushes.
Thus far in 2023, the Bears have averaged just 1.3 sacks per game and a pressure rate of 14.4 percent. Both numbers are ranked last in the NFL. Only one player — defensive lineman Marcus Walker — has logged more than 10 pressures for them this season and the team has just 54 total.
As mentioned, Sweat has generated 19 pressures on his own, so he should provide a significant boost to that Chicago defense. He may also be able to help Yannick Ngakoue return to form after the former Pro Bowler logged just two sacks in the first eight games.
So, there is certainly a role for Sweat to play as a part of this defense.
Bears have a lot of 2024 offseason resources
Performance aside, the Bears acquiring Sweat was a way for them to cash in on the sheer amount of resources that they have for the 2024 NFL offseason.
As it stands, the Bears have $111 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com. That ranks as the most among the NFL's 32 teams and only one other team — the Titans ($101 million) — has crossed the $100 million threshold.
MORE: Full details of the Montez Sweat trade between Bears, Commanders
Beyond that, the Bears were positioned to have seven 2024 draft picks before their trade for Sweat. Two of them — their first-round pick and a first-round pick belonging to the Panthers — are projected to be in the top five. So, the team has plenty of buying power both in the draft and in free agency, which gives them capital to burn.
Thus, the Bears were positioned to be one of the few teams that could offer the Commanders a high-end draft pick for Sweat and also give him a lucrative extension — or at least slap him with the franchise tag during the offseason. That allowed them to be aggressive and go after Sweat by trading what currently projects to be the 35th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Why the Bears didn't wait to pursue Sweat until the offseason
Of course, one could argue that the Bears could have just waited until free agency or the 2024 NFL offseason to pursue Sweat. After all, they would still have the resources at that time and may not have had to surrender a draft pick had they been able to wait it out.
That said, the Bears may have had to engage in a bidding war for Sweat's survives had they tried to wait out acquiring him. The Bears could also have been worried that another team would trade for — and later, extend — Sweat.
So, while normally, a top-50 pick would be a lot for a non-contending team to surrender in a deal, Chicago's brain trust believes that price was worth it to lock in Sweat as one of their own.
In short, the Bears' deal for Sweat is a combination of need and opportunity, and that's why they pulled the trigger on it.
Now, it's up to the coaching staff and front office to justify that decision by extending Sweat and proving that he will be an upgrade for the team.
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Bears draft picks 2024 after Montez Sweat trade
The Bears now have six draft picks available after the Montez Sweat trade. They are as follows:
- Round 1
- Round 1 (from Panthers)
- Round 3
- Round 4
- Round 4 (from Eagles)
- Round 5
Currently, the Bears' two first-round picks are Nos. 2 and 3 overall, behind only the Cardinals, who have a 1-7 record. That gives them a lot of buying power in the draft and will give them an opportunity to trade down if they want to add to their picks.
The Bears' draft capital was looking a bit healthier when they owned their own second-round pick, but even without it, the Bears will be in control of the early portion of the 2024 NFL Draft. Unless, of course, either them or the Panthers goes on any sort of second-half hot streak.
