LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — Entering this season, one of the key questions surrounding the Bears was how they'd generate a pass rush opposite of Pro Bowl defensive end Montez Sweat.
Through two games, the Bears have established an effective rotation and received production at that spot. Now, they’re looking to get Sweat more opportunities himself.
The Bears have recorded six sacks and 32 total pressures in their 1-1 start, complementing a stout defensive backfield with a strong front. Sweat has recorded five of those pressures and doesn't have a sack yet this season.
It certainly isn’t a concern to Sweat, who knows his time is coming.
“What’s for me is for me,” Sweat said. “When that happens, I’ll be happy. But as long as we’re doing what we need to do and all the guys are around me and are balling, I’m fine.”
Sweat, 28, was acquired by the Bears in a trade last October. Shortly thereafter, he signed a four-year, $98.5-million contract extension to stay in Chicago as a core piece of a budding defense.
Sweat had a breakthrough campaign in 2023 in which he recorded a career-best 12.5 sacks. He led both the Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5) in sacks. He also earned Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his career and established himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers.
The Bears had been seeking solutions opposite of Sweat throughout the offseason. They seem to have found one in veteran edge rusher Darrell Taylor, whom they acquired from the Seahawks in August. Taylor recorded two sacks in the Bears' win against the Titans in their season opener on Sept. 8.
Veteran DeMarcus Walker and rookie Austin Booker have also generated pressure, complementing an interior defensive line led by Gervon Dexter and Andrew Billings. Linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards have also been key figures in the pass rush, while defensive coordinator Eric Washington has credited the secondary's coverage as an asset to pressuring the quarterback.
The Bears know well that Sweat is drawing double-team blocks and great attention from opponents' schemes. In turn, that has created more opportunities for his teammates to get pressure on the quarterback.
Of course, Washington and the Bears' defense are eager to get Sweat in position to sack the quarterback himself.
"He’s going to get there,” Washington said. “I mean, he has the talent and the mindset, the intelligence to get there. There are things that are obvious: sacks, hits, those types of things, and sometimes there are things that are obvious to us. And what I'm looking at with Montez is how he is factoring on certain plays. There have been plays that have been made by Gervon where Montez was a major if not primary factor on that particular play.
“It's just a matter of time. He knows how to get to the quarterback and to end the play with a sack-fumble, and so those things will happen for him, and they will happen in bunches."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.