The Bears’ pass rush took plenty of criticism this offseason, but Montez Sweat was never the problem.
Chicago’s defense stumbled through a disappointing first year under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, and the lack of pressure up front drew its share of blame. Still, Sweat did his part and then some. He finished the 2025 season with 10 sacks, accounting for nearly 30% of the Bears’ 33 sacks in 17 regular-season games, and he stood out as one of the few reliable pieces on that side of the ball.
That’s what makes the latest outside view of him so interesting. NFL players ranked Sweat as the 91st-best player in the league heading into the 2026 season.
But when ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler surveyed executives, scouts and coaches on the best edge rushers in football, Sweat didn’t crack the top 10 or even land among the honorable mentions. He was tucked into the “also receiving votes” group.
The Bears know exactly what they have. Sweat’s 2025 line was loaded: 53 tackles, 54 pressures, 37 hurries, 18 quarterback hits, 13 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, five pass deflections, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery across 17 games. Pro Football Focus graded him at 71.2, which placed him 42nd among 115 edge rushers.
And the impact went beyond the sack column. Sweat’s ability to get in passing lanes showed up in those five pass deflections, a reminder that he can disrupt a play even when he doesn’t finish the rep with a takedown. He was a steady problem for opposing offenses every week.
Now the pressure around him is only going up. Chicago did not add any new edge rushers this offseason, leaving Dayo Odeyingbo and Austin Booker to battle for the other starting spot opposite Sweat. That means even more will be asked of the veteran in 2026.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson already made his stance clear, calling 2025 Sweat’s best season of his career. If that’s the baseline, Chicago has reason to believe there’s still more coming.
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