When the Bears dealt a high second-round pick for Montez Sweat at the 2023 trade deadline, the move was about saving that season. That didn’t work, but it went a long way toward stabilizing the pass rush in the long term. Two years later, that investment continues to pay off.
Montez Sweat’s 2025 Snapshot
Sweat once again finished as the team’s sack leader in 2025, posting 10 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, 13 tackles for loss, 53 total tackles, 53 pressures, three forced fumbles, and five passes batted while playing 17 games. It marked the second double-digit sack season of his career, and the first time he has done it in back-to-back years as the clear No. 1 edge on one roster.
The production wasn’t empty, either. From Weeks 7 through 12, Sweat was on a tear, racking up 6.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles. That stretch helped reshape the identity of a defensive line that had battled injuries all year.
His two-sack, strip-sack performance against Pittsburgh in Week 12 was the high-water mark, and he continued to show up in big moments, including late-game pressure against Green Bay in Week 16 that helped him earn Pro Football Focus’ best grade from the epic win.
Montez Sweat at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn ImagesBears Head Coach Ben Johnson repeatedly pointed to Sweat’s impact beyond the box score. The sacks matter, but so do the pressures and the way he affects quarterbacks, even when he doesn’t finish the play. His run defense is often overlooked, but it is constantly steady and graded out in the top half of edge defenders according to Pro Football Focus’ data. Plus, Sweat’s ability to lock down one side of the line allowed others to rotate and find roles around him.
He also showed up in the postseason, logging heavy snap counts in both playoff games and adding key quarterback hits and a sack against Matthew Stafford in the Divisional Round. In a year where Chicago’s defensive front was searching for consistency, Sweat was the most dependable piece.
By the Numbers
Tackles: 53 Solo: 36 Assisted: 17 Sacks: 10 Quarterback hits: 18 Tackles-for-loss: 13 Forced Fumbles: 3 Fumble Recoveries: 1 Batted passes: 4 Hurries: 36 Stops: 37 PFF Grade: 72.1 (38th of 119 edge defenders)Montez Sweat’s Contract Status
(Contract details and figures are courtesy of Over The Cap)
Montez Sweat is entering the third season of his four-year, $98 million extension signed in 2023. Sweat is scheduled to make $20.9 million in base salary to go along with $4.18 million in bonuses. The veteran pass rusher will carry a million cap number of $25,085,294 in 2026, accounting for 8.1 percent of the Bears total cap space.
Syndication: The EnquirerTurning the Page
Sweat may not be a 15-sack, Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but he is firmly established as a high-end, complete edge defender.
At this stage, the Bears know what they have in Montez Sweat: A durable, every-down player who can rush, set the edge, and lead the room. If Chicago adds more pass-rush help opposite him, Sweat’s efficiency could climb even higher with fewer protection schemes tilted his way. Heading into 2026, Sweat remains one of the safest bets on the defense to deliver.
We would love to see Chicago add another edge rusher capable of Sweat’s production, and realistically, even better. Still, there are a lot of holes to address on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. I think they’ll add to the position group, but I’m not sure it’ll be a splash move like Maxx Crosby or Trey Hendrickson. Instead, it’ll more likely be through the early rounds of the draft.
If it’s a rookie or potentially a veteran to pair with Austin Booker, the Bears will have Sweat on the opposite side of the line.
OTHER 2025 CHICAGO BEARS SNAPSHOTS
Quarterback Caleb Williams Tight End Colston Loveland Safety Kevin Byard III Defensive end Austin Booker Wide receiver Luther Burden III Running back D’Andre Swift Running back Kyle Monangai Left guard Joe Thuney Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds Linebacker D’Marco Jackson Kicker Cairo Santos Receiver DJ Moore Tight end Cole Kmet Punter Tory Taylor Cornerback Kyler Gordon Cornerback Jaylon Johnson Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson Wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus Safety Jaquan Brisker Offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo Defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson Right tackle Darnell Wright Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-WisconsinSUBSCRIBE TO THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
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