When the Chicago Bears landed Montez Sweat, the expectation was for him to continue being one of the top edge rushers in the NFL. At times with the Bears, Sweat showed that ability, but for most of his time in Chicago, he needed to be better.
He’s coming off the season where he had 32 combined tackles and 5.5 sacks.
While that might not sound like significant numbers, and they aren’t for a player of his caliber, there’s also some missed context. Sweat didn’t have many great defenders around him, a questionable defensive scheme, and other reasons.Â
Are the Bears Paying Too Much for Montez Sweat
Despite all that Sweat has gone through during his short time with the Chicago Bears, joining the team in 2023, some believe that he’s the most overpaid player in the NFL as an edge rusher.Â
That includes Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report, who named him the most overpaid edge in the NFL.Â
âWe’ll preface this with the fact that Montez Sweat may have been better than his raw numbers in 2024, as he was used as a pure rusher less than in the past and he got a lot of pressure that didn’t register.Â
âThat said, if you’ve committed nearly $25 million per year to an edge, you need more than 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 13 quarterback hits. He ranked outside of the top five in sacks, QB hits and tackles for loss, despite the fact that he’s the seventh-highest-paid player in the NFL at that position,â he wrote.Â
Montez Sweat Is Valuable Piece to Chicago
Some don’t believe itâs a crazy thing to say that Sweat is the most overpaid player, at least on the Chicago Bears. That includes Scott Bair of Marquee Sports, who noted that Sweat will play an essential role in making the Bears the team we’re looking to be this year.
The question now for the Chicago Bears is what they’re looking for Sweat to do. He hasnât produced sacks at a generational rate in his career. Aside from 2023, when he recorded 12.5 with the Washington Commanders and Bears, he usually lands in the six-to-nine range.
Bair would like to see him in the 12 to 15 range, which might be possible depending on how things go for the Bears throughout the year.Â
âThe more I pondered, the more Montez Sweat seems essential to this seasonâs success. For one, the defensive endâs the highest paid player on the roster, occupying a premium position. He hasnât lived up to a massive contract extension to this point â though it has been dwarfed by a recent salary surge at the position â with a disappointing season in 2024.
âThe Bears need an imtimadator off the edge, and Sweat has the talent required to be exactly that. His pressure percentage has been solid, but he needs to get home and tally sacks and takeaways on the regular. If heâs in the 12-15 sack range, the Bears will be tough to stop. They have the talent to get stops and sure tackles, but the Bears need game changing plays. Sweat can provide those. If that seems like tons of pressure, it is. It also comes with the territory for a star player. Look at how the Steelers, Lions and now the Packers (hi, Micah) benefit from a top-tier pass rusher,â he posted.
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