(670 The Score) In the first major move of his tenure as Bears general manager, Ryan Poles traded star pass rusher Khalil Mack to the Chargers in exchange for a second-round pick in a deal that signaled the franchise's intention to rebuild.
In the aftermath of that trade in March 2022, Poles and the Bears failed in their attempts to fill Mack's void in their defense. The team took chances on pass rushers – from 2022 fifth-round pick Dominique Robinson to a flier on journeyman Taco Charlton to the additions of DeMarcus Walker and Yannick Ngakoue in free agency – but couldn't replace Mack’s production. Coach Matt Eberflus’ defense suffered without a consistently disruptive presence off the edge.
It's with that in mind that Poles made an aggressive move Tuesday just hours before the trade deadline arrived. Despite the Bears sitting at 2-6 and struggling in their rebuild, Poles acquired pass rusher Montez Sweat from the Commanders in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick.
Sweat, 27, has 6.5 sacks in eight games this season. A first-round pick of Washington in 2019, he has 35.5 sacks in 67 career NFL games. The Bears have just 10 sacks this season and managed only 20 over 17 games in 2022, with safety Jaquan Brisker leading the way in that category.
Coincidentally, it was Brisker whom the Bears selected with the second-round pick acquired for Mack. With Sweat's arrival, Chicago now has its most accomplished pass rusher since Mack was dealt to Los Angeles.
To Poles' credit, he didn't let the Bears’ current woes prevent him from acquiring a key player for the big picture. Sweat's addition should help the Bears be more competitive late this season and, in their ideal vision, emerge as a contender in 2024.
Star pass rushers aren't often available in free agency and are difficult to acquire outside of the top picks in the NFL Draft. Poles' forecast for the offseason show no viable options that compare to Sweat, which is why he wouldn't wait until March. The Commanders are looking to start their own rebuild, which led them to make Sweat and 24-year-old pass rusher Chase Young available on the trade market Tuesday.
The Bears paid a premium for Sweat, who has been consistent, productive and durable in five NFL seasons. The 49ers landed Young, who's three years younger than Sweat, in exchange for a third-round pick. But Young has played in just 34 of a possible 58 games over his career in Washington, and he suffered a torn ACL early last season.
Poles and the Bears prioritized Sweat's production and reliability over Young's potential and inconsistency. For a team that's looking for proven commodities, the Bears were right to covet Sweat in a trade.
What the Bears need to do now is reach a contract extension with Sweat, who's playing in the final year of his rookie deal. Given what they paid to acquire Sweat, the Bears don't have much leverage in negotiating a lucrative long-term deal. But that's something Poles had to understand well when he took the chance on the trade.
By adding Sweat in a bold move, the Bears have acquired a key player they've been missing since the Mack days.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.