How much is Montez Sweat’s contract extension with the Chicago Bears worth?
Just days after turning heads with a trade for the pass rusher, the Bears have now gone a step further by agreeing to a very lucrative contract extension.
It would appear that something is being built in Chicago. The Bears have now made a move for one of the league’s premier pass rushers and with that have taken a step closer to becoming a solid side. If they can retain the services of their cornerback, this could indeed be the start of something.
Montez Sweat & Chicago Bears agree to extension
According to reports, Montez Sweat and the Chicago Bears have agreed to terms on a four-year, $98 million contract extension. The news of course comes just days after the team traded for him. In exchange for the former Commanders player, the Bears sent a second-round pick to Washington. As things stand, Sweat who now becomes the fifth-highest paid pass rusher in the NFL, is expected to start against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. To be clear his annual average value now stands at $24.5 million which is just below Myles Garrett who is on $25 million.
It’s got to be said that the move for Sweat comes as somewhat of a surprise given how slow the market for the position appeared to be. Consider for a moment that where pass rushers are concerned we’ve only seen the Packers locking in Rashan Gary for a long-term extension, while Brian Burns looks set to receive the franchise tag after the Panthers declined to trade him through two deadlines. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also the fact that next year’s Draft class is very light when it comes to noteworthy pass rushers. This is all to say that the trade deadline was in fact the best shot at securing a player if even the upfront cost in Draft capital was higher. At 27 years old Sweat represents a solid addition to the Bears roster which was already lacking in the department.
Who is Montez Sweat and what’s he had to say?
It’s interesting to note that when Sweat arrived in Chicago he was immediately questioned about whether an extension was on the cards. “I’m sure my agents and them are talking about something,” Sweat said at his introductory press conference on Thursday. “Obviously a player always wants to have security, playing the sport that we’re playing.” Indeed, stability is important and likely even more so for a player who reportedly preferred a move to the Atlanta Falcons, a team that also made an offer to the Bears for him. As a Georgia native, it’s understandable as was his heartfelt goodbye to Washington, the team that traded up to draft him with the 26th overall pick out of Mississippi State in 2019.
As for Sweat’s numbers, he has recorded 21 solo tackles and 6.5 sacks across the eight games that he has played this season. Even more impressive is the fact that Sweat is one of just six players to notch at least five sacks in each of the last five seasons. This is all to say that the Bears’ defense has definitely added a key piece. This after all is a team that has a league-low 10 sacks for the year so far - no other team in the league has less than 15. Further compounding the issue is the fact that none of the Bears’ sacks have been credited to a defensive end this season. At this point, the Bears will now need to turn their attention to securing a long-term deal with cornerback Jaylon Johnson who requested a trade before the deadline. Should they be unable to reach a deal before March, the franchise could be an option now that Sweat’s situation has been tied up for the foreseeable future.