Bear Digest

Why Montez Sweat's Effect Appears to Have Gone Under NFL Radar

Analysis: The NFL.com rankings based on players voting badly underrates the "Sweat effect" and what it means to the Bears defense.

Gene Chamberlain

Montez Sweat's ability to apply pressure around the tackle or through them is not replaceable for this Bears team.
Montez Sweat's ability to apply pressure around the tackle or through them is not replaceable for this Bears team. / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
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The top 100 countdown list from NFL media is under way and Bears defensive end Montez Sweat fit in at No. 82.

The question is whether any remaining Bears will even get on the list if Sweat is No. 82.

Considering cornerback Jaylon Johnson and wide receiver DJ Moore have found their ways onto top player lists elsewhere, it would seem likely they'd appear on it. Certainly Johnson should rate a solid chance.

However, no one can be certain of this.

Both wide receivers D.K. Metcalf (84th) and DeVonta Smith (90th) have already made their appearances on the NFL.com top 100. Metcalf has 43 TD catches in five seasons, or 14 more than Moore has made in six seasons. Smith has been around only three years but averages more touchdown catches.

They've already revealed down to No. 71 and it would be hard to see how Moore can rate a great deal better than those receivers based on the numbers. CBS Sports actually had Moore rated two behind Smith.

Then again, the NFL.com list is a vote of the players, like with the Pro Bowl but minus the fan vote. That's a system flawed, as well. It becomes a popularity contest based only on the previous year, when they're supposed to be looking ahead with a rating for 2024.

This in no way suggests Moore doesn't belong on a top 100 list. To leave him off of it would be a terrible slight.

He definitely belongs on it after 1,364 yards and 96 catches last year.

However, he was 84th on the CBS Sports top 100, and was 11 spots behind Sweat's 73rd ranking.

If he's going to be on this NFL.com top 100 list it's going to be possibly 15 or more picks higher than Sweat, something to be revealed as they count down.

There should be no doubt who is the more valuable player for the Bears.

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The Bears defense is going to hold this team together until their rookie quarterback can get up to speed. It may take all season. And that defense never came together, never proved worthy of holding anything together, until Sweat arrived.

Sweat rates as the one player the Bears cannot replace at the moment. They have three good wide receivers and Caleb Williams hasn't done anything yet. His loss at any point would be a disaster for the team's future and start to his career, but this Bears team would have absolutely no way to replace Sweat.

NFL.com writer Krissy Hetherington points out how colleague Adam Rank rates Sweat "the most important non-QB to watch this upcoming season" for the Bears.

"And rightfully so," Hetherington points out. "In the 2023 season, Sweat posted career-highs with 57 combined tackles and 12.5 sacks while forcing 72 quarterback pressures to earn his first Pro Bowl selection and a spot in the Top 100 after five seasons in the league."

Far bigger than any of that is the "Sweat effect," which made the rest of the Bears defense effective.

When the defense went from six interceptions to 22, from 10 sacks to 30, from 28th in points allowed to 20th and from 23rd in total defense to 12th in the nine weeks they had Sweat, it's obvious what his impact was.

"It's huge having a guy like that because he's a multiplier," defensive tackle Gervon Dexter said after Tuesday's Bears practice.

They're going to move Sweat around now, something he hasn't really been allowed to do much until now. Some could see this as a sign of how valuable Sweat is, but it's really more of a sign the rest of the line isn't good enough to let him stay where he plays the best. They need him to do everything andmore.

"Offensive line don't know where to go, and we know exactly where they're gonna go," Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings said. "It's like all right, he's gonna be on this side? Then I've got a one-on-one on this side now. Offensive line, they'll have to flip the whole call because he's going to be somewhere else."

Sweat belonged higher on the list than 82nd. And if any other Bears appear on the list far ahead of where he ranks, then they're overrated by this poll as well.

Apparently the rest of the league needs an education about the "Sweat effect," and they're likely to get it with all 17 of his games this year in Chicago as the most important player the Bears have for this season.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher 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.