Bear Digest

Montez Sweat Almost Treating Commanders Like Just Another Team

Montez Sweat hasn't had a big second year for the Bears with 2 1/2 sacks but his impact is felt every game and he's hoping his former team feels it Sunday.

Gene Chamberlain

Montez Sweat leaves the field in London with a win and is looking to add to the win total Sunday in Washington against his old team.
Montez Sweat leaves the field in London with a win and is looking to add to the win total Sunday in Washington against his old team. / Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images
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The "Sweat Effect" is now almost a year old, and the Bears like it every bit as much as when they traded for former Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat.

He has liked it in Chicago from the moment he arrived.

"It's just a good environment," Sweat said Thursday at Halas Hall. "You're around guys you want to play for. You're around coaches you want to play for. That makes you want to go hard. That adds a big part to your game."

Held so far to 2 1/2 sacks while the defensive line overall has flourished while he copes with the double teams, Sweat is all about winning. It's different being 4-2 than playing for losing teams as he has throughout his career.

"It's exciting. We have everything in front of us," Sweat said. "We control our own destiny. It's great being on the winning side of things, for sure.

"It definitely feels different. You're just happy, more happy."

Sweat isn't thinking of this as a chance to vent frustrations on his former team when they go to Northwest Stadium to face the Commanders. In fact, there are not a great deal of players left who were his teammates after the rebuild that went on for the Commanders. Jonathan Allen is on injured reserve. The only defensive line teammate he started with who is in the lineup is Daron Payne. Chase Young got traded when Sweat was dealt.

"It's going to be good to go back and see some of the guys that I got drafted to and created some great relationships with," Sweat said. "It's going to be good just being back in the stadium."

Sweat admits to being somewhat ticked off as an immediate reaction to Washington sending him to Chicago for a second-round pick.

"I think like any other player would be, they would be a little offended, but it's a business and I understand what comes with that," he said. "I was offended, but I didn't take it personal."

He arrived at the rebuilding environment the Bears had going and liked it. The $98 million deal he signed after the trade didn't make it less inviting, that's for sure.

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"Just being around the guys here, they welcomed me with open arms," Sweat said. "And it was one of my better seasons the year I got traded, so I think just being here and the guys welcoming me in just got me well accustomed."

Sweat made the Pro Bowl, finished with 12 1/2 sacks and became the first player to lead two different teams in sacks, six of those coming in Chicago.

"I went to the Pro Bowl, I got paid," Sweat said. "There were a couple things that fell into that, but I think I'm happy just being somewhere that I’m wanted, being at a place where they want me to be and I’ve got a spot.

"It’s just a good environment. You're around guys you want to play for. You're around coaches you want to play for. That makes you want to go hard. That adds a big part to your game."

The sacks have been harder to come by this year against double-teaming, but the Bears defensive line has become a pass rush force. They have had 38 sacks in the 15 games since Sweat arrived. They had 20 sacks in the 25 games they played under Matt Eberflus before Sweat’s acquisition.  They had 23 interceptions in the 15 games since Sweat arrived and had 20 in the first 25 games before his arrival.

They have four defensive linemen ranked in the top 20 at their positions for pass rush win rate as they have adjusted to seeing opponents gang up on their pass rush threat.

“First of all, he's got a well-rounded skill set,” defensive coordinator Eric Washington said. “He has tremendous leadership attributes.

“I think I mentioned back in training camp how we were walking off the football field and Montez decided to lend some of his perspective (to Austin Booker) on how he tries to set up his rushes against different protection concepts, so that's who he is.”

Make no mistake, Sweat is coming to Washington to get after either Jayden Daniels or Marcus Mariota. Daniels did not practice again Thursday due to his injured ribs but will attempt to do so on Friday. Who would Sweat rather face? It should seem obvious but he’s not about to stir anything up.

“It’s not up to me,” Sweat said. “I don’t care, honestly. Both of them are good on their legs and both of them can make throws outside the pocket. It doesn’t make a difference.”

 Hmmm, on one hand, the NFL completion percentage leader who can run like the wind. On the other hand, a former first overall pick with his fifth team.

“It’s actually–I wanna say, I mean–Mariota is a veteran guy,”  Sweat said. “He has seen a lot of ball, but they’re both great on their legs and can get out of the pocket and throw a good ball. It’s not much changed. But, yeah, they’re two talented quarterbacks.”

He just wants to do damage, but not necessarily because it’s his old team.

“I mean, I want to do damage every week,” Sweat said. “So, maybe this week is maybe a little motivation. But it’s just another week.”

Another week against his former team and the hottest young QB in the league.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.