Tag: Montez Sweat

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson, DE Montez Sweat to participate in these Pro Bowl events

Jaylon Johnson and Montez Sweat will represent the Bears at the Pro Bowl Games. Here’s a look at the events they’ll be competing in:

The Pro Bowl Games get underway this week, where the Chicago Bears will have two representatives: cornerback Jaylon Johnson and defensive end Montez Sweat.

Johnson will participate in two events at the Pro Bowl Games: Closest to the Pin on Thursday and NFL Flag Football on Sunday.

Closest to the Pin: This golf accuracy competition will feature five players from each conference. They will drive the golf ball, working to hit it as close to the hole as possible. The winner will earn three points for his conference.

Meanwhile, Sweat will participate in two events: Move the Chains and Gridiron Gauntlet, both on Sunday.

Move the Chains: This offensive and defensive linemen strength and speed competition takes strategy and teamwork. Each team of five players must work together to move 3,000 pounds of weights off a massive wall and be the first team to pull that 2,000-pound wall across the finish line. The winner will earn three points for their conference.

Gridiron Gauntlet presented by Snickers: A full-field relay race between six AFC players and six NFC players who show off their athletic prowess in a challenging obstacle course. They’ll break through walls and crawl under doors, among other obstacles, to get to the final sled push across the field with the ultimate goal of finishing first. The winning team of each race will earn their conference three points.

Johnson had a career-high four interceptions, 36 tackles and 10 pass breakups in 14 games. He proved to be one of the NFL’s best cover cornerbacks and unlocked the takeaway aspect of his game, earning his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods.

Sweat 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 and 63 pressures, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Sweat led both the Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5) in sacks.

Commanders DE K.J. Henry named an early 2024 breakout player

Can K.J. Henry lock down one of Washington’s starting defensive end spots in 2024?

The Washington Commanders have some holes to fill in 2024. The good news for incoming general manager Adam Peters is the Commanders have plenty of salary cap room and some premium draft picks to fill those holes.

While much of the offseason talk surrounding Washington will be on the quarterback position, the Commanders need plenty of help on defense. Washington was terrible defensively in 2023, and the new coaching staff will need to find some pass-rush help.

Perhaps some of that help is already on the roster. K.J. Henry was a fifth-round pick from Clemson in 2023. When the Commanders traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the NFL trade deadline in October, Henry’s role increased.

Overall, Henry would play in 10 games as a rookie, including making three starts. He finished his first season with 19 tackles, including four for loss, 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hits.

Could Henry contend for a starting position in 2024?

Pro Football Focus recently named one early breakout candidate for next season, and Henry was that player for Washington.

The Commanders traded away Chase Young and Montez Sweat mid-season, and they are slated to lose both Casey Toohill and James Smith-Williams to free agency, leaving a once stellar edge group rather barren. Henry — a fifth-round pick out of Clemson — will be one of the remaining names this offseason and while he didn’t get a ton of opportunity as a rookie, his final year at Clemson was encouraging, where he posted an 84.0 pass-rush grade, 53 pressures and five sacks. Henry could be called upon to play a much larger role in 2024 for the Commanders.

Peters will address the defensive end position likely in free agency and the NFL draft. How much will he invest in the position? The Commanders will look very different next season but Henry should be a part of Washington’s defensive end rotation.

NFL execs believe Bears will land Chase Young in free agency

Could there be a Montez Sweat-Chase Young reunion with the Bears? Some NFL execs certainly think so.

The Chicago Bears have some needs to address this offseason, including edge rusher. While Chicago acquired stud Montez Sweat in a trade with the Washington Commanders, they’re still in need of a power rusher opposite him.

If the Bears address edge rusher in free agency, there are some big names slated to hit the open market — including Brian Burns, Josh Allen, Danielle Hunter and Chase Young.

Young played with Sweat for four years in Washington, and the duo were a potent 1-2 punch off the edge. Could a Sweat-Young reunion be in the cards for Chicago? Some NFL execs certainly believe so.

ESPN spoke to a number of NFL executives, scouts and personnel figures, and they believe the Bears will sign Young in free agency.

Washington traded its star defensive line bookends at the 2023 trade deadline, with Sweat then thriving as the Chicago Bears’ lead rusher and Young now competing for a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers.

Chicago, in its efforts to bolster its pass rush, evaluated both Young and Sweat in the months leading up to the deadline. Sweat landed a four-year, $98 million extension with the Bears, who could spend more money in free agency to sign a pass-rusher such as Young.

Young, like Sweat, was traded at the trade deadline. He landed with the San Francisco 49ers, where he totaled 2.5 sacks (on top of 5.0 with the Commanders).

Sweat made a significant impact on the Bears defense when he arrived in November. He had a career year with 12.5 sacks, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Outside of his production, Sweat’s presence elevated the play of those around him. Sweat became the first player in NFL history to lead two teams in sacks in a season — Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5).

We’ll see if Young ultimately reunites with his former Commanders teammate, which would give Chicago a formidable edge rushing duo.

Ranking Commanders’ 10 biggest needs entering 2024 offseason

We examine all of Washington’s top needs heading into the offseason.

New Washington general manager Adam Peters has his work cut out for him this offseason. Peters inherits a roster with plenty of holes on both sides of the ball.

Fortunately for Peters, the Commanders have six of the top 102 selections in the 2024 NFL draft, including No. 2 overall, and an estimated $75-80 million in cap space this offseason.

Before Peters attacks the roster, he must first find a head coach. Washington’s head coaching search picked up last week with several candidates interviewed.

With some of their teams eliminated from the playoffs, the Commanders could begin scheduling second interviews this week. However, four of the coaches Washington interviewed remain alive in the NFL playoffs, and the Commanders will need to wait at least another week before pursuing a second interview.

As for Washington’s roster, we rank the Commanders’ top 10 needs heading into the 2024 offseason.

Montez Sweat had high praise for Bears teammate DJ Moore

Montez Sweat sounded off on where Bears teammate DJ Moore ranks among NFL wide receivers.

Wide receiver DJ Moore made a huge impact in his first season with the Chicago Bears, where he totaled career highs in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,364) and touchdowns (8).

Still, Moore doesn’t garner the respect he deserves, including being a notable Pro Bowl snub, especially playing in some underwhelming offenses in his six-year career. Case in point: ESPN’s Shannon Sharpe, who said Moore wasn’t even a top-15 wideout in the NFL.

Sharpe asked one Twitter (X) user which of these receivers he’d take over Moore:

Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb, Ja’Mar Chase, Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puka Nucua, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Debo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen, Mike Evans, Cooper Kupp, Michael Pittman Jr., Nico Collins

Sharpe’s own answer was clear in posing the question: None of them.

Meanwhile, Moore had the sixth-most receiving yards in the NFL and was part of one of the league’s most dangerous duos with Justin Fields. Not to mention, Fields missed four games this season — and Moore still balled out.

Bears star defensive end Montez Sweat sounded off on the debate with high praise for his teammate: He’d take Moore over all 18 of them.

The Bears acquired Moore from the Carolina Panthers in a trade of the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The haul also included right tackle Darnell Wright, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, the No. 1 pick in 2024 and a 2025 second-rounder still on the way.

Moore was one of the most impactful additions this season, where he proved to be Fields’ most reliable weapon and an electric playmaker. Chicago’s passing offense improved from 32nd in the NFL in 2022 to 27th in 2023.

There’s uncertainty at the quarterback position this offseason, but Moore has made his stance clear: He wants Fields back in 2024. We’ll see if Moore gets his wish.

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Montez Sweat is first player to lead 2 teams in sacks in single season

Bears star defender Montez Sweat made NFL history this season.

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).

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.

Montez Sweat made NFL history by leading 2 teams in sacks

Sweat made NFL history and the Commanders now know the pick they’ll receive for the Pro Bowl edge rusher.

Former Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat made NFL history on Sunday. Sweat was traded on Oct. 31 from the Commanders to the Chicago Bears, where he played the season’s final nine games.

Sweat was named to his first Pro Bowl last week after establishing a new career-high with 12.5 sacks. Sweat’s previous career-high was nine back in 2020.

Sweat led the Bears with six sacks and the Commanders with 6.5 sacks. And, according to Field Yates of ESPN, Sweat becomes the first player in NFL history to lead two teams in sacks for the same season.

We aren’t sure if this says more about Sweat or the Commanders. No offense to Sweat, who Washington never wanted to lose but felt the value of a high second-round pick was too much to pass up for the Commanders. Chicago would reward Sweat with a new four-year extension worth $98 million shortly after the trade, and his presence lifted Chicago’s defense.

Meanwhile, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen finished behind Sweat with 5.5 sacks. Chase Young, who also traded the same day as Sweat, finished third on the team in sacks with five.

Outside of the weird Week 11 game against the Giants, Washington’s pass rush produced barely any pressure after trading Sweat and Young.

Now that the 2023 NFL season is in the books, the Commanders will receive the No. 40 overall pick for Sweat.

 

Montez Sweat becomes first player ever to lead two teams in sacks in same season

Bears edge-rusher Montez Sweat becomes the first player in recorded pro football history to lead two teams in sacks in the same season.

When the Washington Commanders traded edge-rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat to the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears respectively on October 31, it was a move toward an uncertain future for the Commanders. The 49ers were looking to upgrade their already fearsome pass rush, and the Bears were just trying to get someone on the field who could disrupt quarterbacks from the edge.

In Sweat’s case, it worked out pretty well. With his six sacks for the Bears over the last nine weeks, and his 6.5 sacks for the Commanders in the first eight weeks, Sweat is now the first player in the recorded history of professional football to lead two teams in sacks in the same season.

We don’t have all sack numbers throughout pro football history — the sack became an official NFL statistic in 1982, and thanks to the work of John Turney and other devoted historians, we now have sack totals going back to 1960. But it’s a pretty nice range of years, and it’s good enough to assume that Sweat has done something no other player ever has.

After the trade, Sweat signed a four-year extension with the Bears worth $98 million in new money, $41.96 million fully guaranteed and $72.86 million in total guarantees. Which might turn out to be quite the bargain at this rate. Per Pro Football Focus, who count half-sacks as full sacks, Sweat finished the 2023 season with career highs in sacks (16) and total pressures (63).

He also made history in quite a unique fashion.

Montez Sweat becomes first player ever to lead two teams in sacks in same season

Bears edge-rusher Montez Sweat becomes the first player in recorded pro football history to lead two teams in sacks in the same season.

When the Washington Commanders traded edge-rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat to the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears respectively on October 31, it was a move toward an uncertain future for the Commanders. The 49ers were looking to upgrade their already fearsome pass rush, and the Bears were just trying to get someone on the field who could disrupt quarterbacks from the edge.

In Sweat’s case, it worked out pretty well. With his six sacks for the Bears over the last nine weeks, and his 6.5 sacks for the Commanders in the first eight weeks, Sweat is now the first player in the recorded history of professional football to lead two teams in sacks in the same season.

We don’t have all sack numbers throughout pro football history — the sack became an official NFL statistic in 1982, and thanks to the work of John Turney and other devoted historians, we now have sack totals going back to 1960. But it’s a pretty nice range of years, and it’s good enough to assume that Sweat has done something no other player ever has.

After the trade, Sweat signed a four-year extension with the Bears worth $98 million in new money, $41.96 million fully guaranteed and $72.86 million in total guarantees. Which might turn out to be quite the bargain at this rate. Per Pro Football Focus, who count half-sacks as full sacks, Sweat finished the 2023 season with career highs in sacks (16) and total pressures (63).

He also made history in quite a unique fashion.

Montez Sweat has had ‘indescribable’ impact on Bears defense

The addition of Montez Sweat has transformed the Bears defense.

The Chicago Bears have sparked a late-season turnaround following a disastrous start to the 2023 season. And the addition of star defensive end Montez Sweat, acquired in a trade with the Washington Commanders, has been at the center of it. So much so that it’s been dubbed the “Tez Effect.”

“It’s pretty cool,” said head coach Matt Eberflus. “But I don’t really want to take credit for what these guys have been able to do around here.

“Man, these boys have been stepping up. They’re playing their asses off. Credit to them. I’m the one getting the credit now, but it’s really because of those boys.”

The Bears defense has improved dramatically with Sweat’s addition. They went from 28th to 20th in points allowed, 23rd to 12th in yards allowed and from 22nd to third in takeaways, per the Chicago Sun-Times. The Bears were 2-6 without Sweat, and they’re 5-3 with him.

Outside of Sweat’s individual production — which includes a career-high 12.5 sacks, leading both the Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5), 13 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, four pass breakups and 25 QB hits this season — his presence has opened up opportunities for those around him.

Guys like defensive tackle Justin Jones, rookie defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and defensive end DeMarcus Walker have benefited from Sweat’s addition, which has reinvigorated the defense.

“Just a big contributing factor,” said cornerback Jaylon Johnson. “Him just coming in, bringing a different energy. Kind of indescribable. We didn’t necessarily know that we needed it until he came, and it’s like, ‘Yeah, this is somebody that we needed.'”

When the Bears made the move to acquire Sweat from the Commanders at the trade deadline, there were questions about whether he would excel without other Washington stars (Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen and Chase Young) around him. Safe to say Sweat put those concerns to bed.

“I remember the first day we got Tez here,” defensive line coach Travis Smith said, “there was a lot of commentary that Tez had Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen [and Young] that are rushing there. All of a sudden, Tez is here, and now it looks like he was the one that’s allowing others opportunities. So maybe he was the part of what was happening in Washington that was allowing those other guys to have success. I think that’s a reflection on him.”