Bears lock up newly acquired defensive end to a big extension
The Bears are locking up their newest trade acquisition.
Chicago and defensive end Montez Sweat have agreed to a four-year, $98 million deal with $72.9 million in guaranteed money, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The total deal will be worth $105 million, per Rapoport.
The Bears acquired Sweat from the Commanders at the trade deadline for a 2024 second-round pick. Sweat is currently playing on the final year of his rookie contract.
"We expect him to come here and help our entire team get better," Bears general manager Ryan Poles said Wednesday. "We see him as a long, fast, explosive, relentless defensive end that can help us both in the run and in the pass game and really, I see him as a multiplier. He's going to allow everyone to play better, our entire defensive front, our corners, our safeties."
Sweat is one of six player to collect at least five sacks in each of the past five seasons. He owns 6.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for a loss this season.
He will help bolster a Bears’ defense that struggled to sack the quarterback. Chicago has only managed a league-low 10 sacks, five of those sacks have come from their defensive ends.
The Bears are expected to use their new prized defensive end in a number of spots along their defensive line.
"It opens up a lot of things," Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said. "You can do a lot of things with the caliber of player like he is. And we've had some in the past that were like that, that were the premier players like that. We certainly try to enhance it and put them on the matchups that we want, along the line. So that's important to do."
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