Everyone expected the Chicago Bears to sell at the trade deadline amid a disastrous 2-6 season. However, the Bears traded their 2024 second-round pick to Washington for defensive end Montez Sweat on Tuesday morning.
The Score’s Danny Parkins of the Audacy original podcast “1st & Pod” wouldn’t have traded a second-round pick for Sweat but understands why the Bears made the deal.
“The reason why they did the move is because they’re going to have two top-five or maybe at worst top-10 picks and there doesn’t seem to be an edge rusher that’s worthy of going in the top five or maybe even in the top 10,” Parkins said (38:20 in player above). “Their pass rush is pathetic. It’s the worst in the entire league.”
Sweat gives the Bears a pass rusher that can help their paltry defensive line, but there is some risk.
“They look at it as we get a good against the run, good against the pass, B-plus pass rusher in Montez Sweat, who’s 27 years old, in his prime, great character guy, who they think they can sign,” Parkins continued. “But they’ve given him a ton of leverage and it would be an unbelievable unmitigated disaster if they don’t sign him to an extension and then they can’t use the franchise tag if they need to on Jaylon Johnson. So they’re playing a game of Russian roulette here.”
Sweat could decide to test the free-agent waters and not sign an extension with the Bears. That would put Chicago in a bit of a predicament with Johnson unsigned as well.
Ultimately, the Bears decided that they needed a pass rusher and viewed Sweat as the best option for the foreseeable future.
“They look at it as the last thing this defense needs to be good when their secondary gets healthy is a pass rush,” Parkins said. “They don’t think one is coming in the draft and even though they got cap space in free agency, there’s no guarantee that any of these guys are going to actually hit free agency.
It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with the Bears as both Sweat and Johnson need new contracts after this season.
Parkins thinks they’ll be able to get a deal done with Sweat, though.
“I think their plan is to sign Montez Sweat and franchise tag or probably transition tag Jaylon Johnson. And then let the market dictate his contract and then match the deal. That’s my expectation.”
While the trade was a curious one, the Bears pulled the trigger in hopes of solidifying their defense in the near future.
“I would not have made the move because i still think you should be trying to lose games this year at this point and I think that Montez Sweat is a solid but not great player and trading the 35th pick in the draft, it’s just a really valuable asset,” Parkins concluded. “I wouldn’t have made it but they did it because they have zero pass rush and they don’t think there’s anyone in the draft.”