The Chicago Bears joined the chat, clinging to their last hope for a season-saving first victory. Their issues on that side have only worsened since adding Montez Sweat—though he’s been their highest-paid player on defense since last year. The Bears signed Sweat to a lucrative contract worth $24.5 million per year, hoping his skills would bolster their defensive front. The results have been inconsistent, leading to doubts about whether they were winning with their smart plan.
Sweat came to the Bears mid-season in 2023, and he wasted no time making an impact. In only nine games, he tallied six sacks, and he ended the season with an incredible total of 12.5 sacks that led him to Pro Bowl recognition. While his overall performance at the time was viewed as a breakout, the 2024 season has not lived up to that promise. Over the course of 16 games, Sweat’s production dipped to 5.5 sacks, prompting coaches and analysts to reassess how he is utilized in the Bears’ defensive scheme.
In their most recent game against the Detroit Lions, Sweat faced an even stiffer test. He was double-teamed on five separate occasions as he tried to collapse the pocket and pursue the QB. This was in stark contrast to his experience versus the Minnesota Vikings, where he faced a double-team just once. Such disparities are a worrisome trend for the Bears’ coaching staff and a troubling indication of Sweat’s ability to take advantage of desirable matchups.
Ryan Poles, the Bears’ first-year general manager, has made addressing the defensive line a priority for this offseason. One of his goals is to cut down on the amount of double teams Sweat sees. This tactic will provide Sweat even more opportunities to work his magic against one-on-one blocking.
“We’d like to see him capitalize on those a little bit more. It’s few and far between that they’re singling him up, but we would like to see him get to the quarterback.” – Coach Ben Johnson
Though he’s battled through all of those obstacles, Sweat’s past three outings have proven just how much upside he boasts. In two games this season, he has piled up nine QB hits and three sacks. He’s met with resistance at every step. Indeed, one of his sacks against the Lions was wiped out by offsetting penalties, highlighting how razor thin the margin can be at times in professional football.
Sweat’s advanced metrics paint an even clearer picture of why he’s been so successful. He has 26 pass rush losses w/o a win. His 44th percentile rank in pass rush win rate—on at least 30 attempts—is telling. Just 19.4% of his pass rush attempts have been against double teams. This has him ranking 92nd among his peers.
Coaches have called out Sweat for needing to be more disruptive in one-on-ones. Johnson added that they expect to hear more from him in these cases going forward. This expectation follows the large investment the team has already made in developing his skills.
“A lot of the things are fixable, if not everything.” – Grady Jarrett
Like in 2022, the Bears know that success on defense starts with everyone working together. Johnson focused on keeping the pressure on opponents and making them feel it when they should. He further noted that changes will be implemented to increase the top-line performance.
“It really takes everybody, and when we pressure, we’ve got to make them feel that as well. It’s a combination of all of it. It’s something that we’re certainly going to address.” – Johnson
Make no mistake, the Bears want to win this one badly. They want to put more on their defense, but they are expecting Sweat to come back as a high-impact, complementary pass rusher. The coaching staff’s focus on refining their strategies and providing additional support for Sweat may prove crucial in turning around their season.
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