Bear Digest

Bears urged to pursue this highly productive edge rusher in free agency

The Chicago Bears need to add a pass rusher opposite Montez Sweat this offseason, and Pro Football Focus offered a highly productive option they could sign in free agency.

Bryan Perez

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The Chicago Bears have a lot of holes to fill this offseason, including on defense, where the unit all but fell apart after the dismissal of Matt Eberflus. While there's certainly talent on that side of the ball, the Bears must upgrade their pass rush in order to maximize the above-average skill set in the secondary.

Analytics giant Pro Football Focus has a solution: Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat.

"After sorting out their coaching staff, the Bears need to address the trenches on both sides of the ball," Bradley Locker wrote. "Edge rusher should be a key focus, given that Chicago ranked 27th in PFF overall grade and 16th in PFF pass-rush grade at the position in 2024."

Sweat and Sweat? Who says no!

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Josh Sweat (19) against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Josh would add more value than just a cool tandem of last names. He's been a productive pass rusher during his time with the Eagles, totaling 43 sacks in seven seasons, including a career-best 11 in 2022. He finished the 2024 season with eight.


"For the second straight year, the Bears have a surplus of spending value — $80 million, to be exact — so why not chase a big fish like Sweat?" Locker wrote. "The current Eagle has been terrific over the past four years, ranking 24th in PFF pass-rushing grade (80.7) and 22nd in . Sweat would pair with Montez Sweat (49 pressures, 14.7% pass-rush win rate) for a top-tier duo (with the same last name as a fun wrinkle)."

The Bears have no excuses not to pursue Sweat. They currently have the fifth-most salary cap space in the NFL, while the Eagles, who'd love to retain a key piece of their defense, are in the bottom half of the league in cap room. Translation? Chicago can offer Sweat the money he'll likely command; Philadelphia might not be able to.

Josh Sweat won't come cheap. He's ranked as the 13th-best free agent in the upcoming 2025 NFL free agency class at a position that pays its top performers north of $20 million per season.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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