The Chicago Bears struck gold when they acquired defensive end Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders at the trade deadline.
Sweat’s addition transformed Chicago’s defense from one of the worst into one of the best in the league. He had a career year with 12.5 sacks, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Outside of his production, Sweat’s presence freed up opportunities for others around him.
In fact, what Sweat accomplished this season has never been done before in NFL history.
With the 2023 regular season in the books, Sweat officially ended as the team leader in sacks for both the Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5).
Montez Sweat became the first player in NFL history to lead two different teams in sacks during the same season.
He posted 6.5 for the Commanders and 6.0 for the Bears. pic.twitter.com/bVKQSjBxWW
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 8, 2024
Sweat has helped revamp a Chicago pass rush that was the NFL’s worst. Behind Sweat’s 6.0 sacks, defensive tackle Justin Jones had 4.5 sacks and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue finished with 4.0 sacks.
According to Pro Football Focus, Sweat finished the 2023 season with 16.0 sacks (half-sacks count as full sacks) and 63 pressures, both career highs.
After being traded to the Bears, Sweat signed a four-year extension worth $98 million, which means he’s going to be a key part of Chicago’s pass rush for years to come.