(104.3 The Score) At the core of his job title, Bears pass rusher Montez Sweat is paid handsomely to penetrate the pocket and pressure the opposing quarterback. It’s why his position is considered a premium one.
But there’s so much more that goes into the job of Sweat, who’s entering his eighth NFL season and fourth year with the Bears. He’s required to set the edge, stop the run and utilize his motor across the defensive front.
It’s with that as context that Bears head coach Ben Johnson admired Sweat’s work so much last season.
"My appreciation grew even more,” Johnson said. “I loved him during the season. But when you watch the self-scout after the year, I think this was a guy who played at a very high level.
“I would argue it was the best year of his career.”
If measured solely in quarterback sacks, 2025 was the second-best season of Sweat’s career. He recorded 10 sacks, trailing only the 12.5 sacks of his Pro Bowl campaign of 2023 – the year he was acquired by the Bears in early November before signing a four-year, $98.5-million contract extension.
Sweat, who will turn 30 in September, needs to continue to produce at a high level. Because the Bears are counting on him now more than ever.
The Bears didn’t acquire a proven pass rusher this offseason to work alongside Sweat. The team is instead counting on improvement from within. The Bears need defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo to be healthy as he works back from a torn Achilles that he suffered last November. Third-year defensive end Austin Booker will be asked to become more consistent after he shined late last season. Defensive lineman Shemar Turner, a second-round pick in 2025, and others will also be asked to step up.
Doubt persists as to whether the Bears can get enough from their pass rush, which tied for 22nd in the NFL with 35 sacks in 2025. Chicago also ranked 22nd in pressure rate at 21.1%, and the run defense was abysmal in finishing 27th by surrendering 134.5 yards per game on the ground.
That’s why many fans were clamoring for the Bears to upgrade their defensive line this offseason. And that’s why skepticism persists.
“You hear the chatter,” Sweat told reporters last week. “It is what it is. Everybody has an opinion. We’ve just got to go out there and do what we’ve got to do.”
That starts with Sweat, the top player on the Bears’ defensive front and arguably the team’s most important player behind quarterback Caleb Williams. When Sweat pressures the quarterback, the opposing offensive line must divert more attention toward him. When he’s drawing double teams, there are more opportunities for the rest of the Bears defense to make plays.
For the Bears to maximize their defense’s potential, Sweat must be a disruptive force.
So once again, the Bears are banking on him to produce the best season of his career.
Chris Emma covers the Bears and the Chicago sports scene for 104.3 The Score.
