Chicago Bears defensive lineman Montez Sweat says he was devastated to learn of the trade that brought him to town from Washington. However, he feels he is where he is supposed to be.
One of the highlights of the Chicago Bears 2023 season was the trade general manager Ryan Poles made at the deadline with the Washington Commanders. That trade brought in defensive lineman Montez Sweat for a second-round pick.
That move caused a lot of emotions both in Washington and Chicago. Bears fans wondered why Poles would make that move knowing that the Bears needed that second-round pick. Additionally, they were still smarting after a similar trade Poles made a year before blew up in his face.
Poles traded for wide receiver Chase Claypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a second-round pick. The pick ended up being a pseudo-first-round pick because the NFL punished the Miami Dolphins for a tampering case. The league took Miami’s first-round pick.
The Washington fans were left in a tailspin as they lost two very good players. In addition to Sweat, they also lost Chase Young.
The news of the trade also devastated Sweat. He enjoyed playing in Washington. At first, he wasn’t sure about going to Chicago, where the Bears continually struggled. He had no choice, however, so off to Chicago he went.
I was definitely discouraged, disappointed when I got traded. Nobody wants to get traded; just an asset, a bond, a value.
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Sweat continued to have a great season despite the ups and downs
Sweat ended up having a great season. He finished with 72 quarterback pressures and a career-high 12.5 sacks. He also became the first player in NFL history to lead two teams in sacks in one season.
Sweat went from one team whose coach was all but fired to another team whose coach was on the hot seat. Through it all, though, he shined and earned his first Pro Bowl berth. He had a roller-coaster season but feels it was worth it. Oh, and now he embraces the Bears.
Man, it’s been a roller coaster. A roller-coaster ride. Just gotta enjoy the ride. Some slopes gonna be kinda tough, sometimes it’s gonna be dropping and sometimes it’s gonna be fun. I’ve just been embracing it. It’s a blessing to be here.
Soon after making the trade, Poles re-signed Sweat to a 4-year, $98 million deal. Sweat says that the new deal helped him stay loose and play freely. He did not have to worry about the extension and now he is with the Chicago Bears for the foreseeable future.
Looking back on it all, Sweat says it was destined for him to be in Chicago. He likes the atmosphere of a team on the upside. After losing 14 games in 2022, the Chicago Bears went 7-10 in 2023. They also have the #1 pick in April’s draft.
Sweat even said something surprising about head coach Matt Eberflus. He said he liked Eberflus and that he is a player’s coach. Eberflus puts playmakers in a position to make plays, he says. Then, he added that Eberflus is a funny guy.
With his serious looks on the field funny is not the first word that comes to mind when people think of Eberflus. When they think of Sweat, however, they think “godsend.”