Edge rusher Montez Sweat is now in his first full season with the Bears, and the positive feelings from his move to Chicago last year have stayed strong.
Sweat was traded from the Commanders in the middle of the season and signed a long-term contract with the Bears. He ended up with six sacks in nine games with Chicago.
Although the Bears finished with a losing record, they had a 5-4 record in those games. They are entering this season with high hopes after making big changes to their offense, which is a big contrast to Sweat’s time in Washington.
Sweat said the losses he experienced with the Commanders took “a toxic, heavy toll” on him, and the burden he felt has been lifted since he joined the Bears.
‘‘I definitely made a transition to a better spot for me,’’ Sweat said, according to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times.
‘‘This was my first Pro Bowl and first double-digit sack year and all those types of things. I reached some accolades that I always had aspirations of getting but never reached in Washington. You could definitely say it worked out better for me.’’
The Bears have had a tough atmosphere in recent years, but Sweat is one of several reasons why there is now some hope. The upcoming months will show if this improvement is real or just temporary.
