Montez Sweat made it clear that he didn’t have the Chicago Bears’ game against the Washington Commanders marked on his calendar. However, he did admit to feeling a bit offended by the trade last October.
“I think like any other player would be, they would be a little offended, but it’s a business and I understand what comes with that,” Sweat said on Thursday. “I was offended, but I didn’t take it personal.”
Sweat will face his former team for the first time since the trade when Chicago visits Washington on Sunday.
The Commanders decided to make some changes at the deadline. They traded away two former first-round picks who were expected to be key players. Sweat was sent to Chicago for a second-round pick in 2024, while pass rusher Chase Young was traded to San Francisco for a third-round pick.
At that time, the Bears were struggling with a record of 2-6 and had the lowest number of sacks in the league with only 10. A few days after the trade, they signed Sweat to a four-year contract extension worth $105 million that runs through 2027.
This new deal included $72,865,360 guaranteed and $98 million in new money.
Sweat made a significant impact, helping the Bears finish with a 7-9 record and achieving some NFL history. He set a personal best with 12 1/2 sacks, becoming the first player to lead two teams in sacks during the same season—recording 6 1/2 sacks in eight games with Washington and six in nine games with Chicago. He also earned his first Pro Bowl selection.
“I got my first Pro Bowl, I got paid,” Sweat said. “I’m happy just being somewhere that I’m wanted, being in a place where they want me to be here, where I’ve got a spot.”
He mentioned that being in a positive environment helps his performance.
“It just creates a good environment when you’re around guys that you want to play for, you’re around coaches that you want to play for,” he said. “You go harder. I think that’s a big part of the game.”
Although he has only 2 1/2 sacks through six games this season, which is not as many as last year, Sweat still attracts a lot of attention from opposing teams. He plays a key role in why Chicago’s defense is ranked fifth overall. The Bears are doing well in creating turnovers and are tied for third with 13 takeaways.
With Caleb Williams and the offense starting to come together, Chicago (4-2) went into its bye week with three straight wins after defeating the Los Angeles Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Jacksonville Jaguars. This is the best record the Bears have had through six games since the 2020 season when they were 5-1 and finished 8-8.
Sweat finds himself in a new situation. During his 4 1/2 years with Washington, the team never won more than eight games and was never better than 3-3 after six games.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “We have everything in front of us. We control our own destiny. It’s great being on the winning side of things, for sure.”
The Bears are expected to face a tougher challenge against Washington (5-2), whether rookie Jayden Daniels plays despite his rib injury or Marcus Mariota starts as the quarterback for the NFC East leaders. The Commanders are one of the top teams in the NFL on offense and are tied with Baltimore for the highest scoring, averaging 31.1 points per game.
The Bears’ victories, including the first game against Tennessee, have come against teams that are not very strong. The teams they have beaten have a combined record of 6-20. Their losses were to Indianapolis (4-3) and Houston (5-2).
“Obviously they’ve got to get the quarterback situation right,” Sweat said. “It may not be the same offense that’s been on the field the whole year. But I mean, yeah, when a good defense goes against a great offense it’s a great test, and we’re looking forward to it.”
