For most of last season, the Chicago Bears' defense struggled to stop scoring drives. When they traded for edge rusher Montez Sweat halfway through the season, the entire unit improved drastically.
The Bears are 6-5 since trading for Sweat. The Bears were 2-6 before making the trade. Out of all the trades general manager Ryan Poles has closed since taking the job two years ago, the Sweat trade has to be one of his best moves.
Sweat has become a major X-factor on the defensive line. Prior to the trade, the Bears were lacking an ace pass rusher to get to the quarterback. Sweat's presence as a pass rusher improved the entire defense and gave the Bears a major piece in their rebuild. He's also an underrated run-stopper as well. Considering he's locked in for the next four years, Sweat will most definitely be a stalwart on the Bears' defensive line for the foreseeable future.
Montez Sweat has become the anchor of the Bears' defense.
Thanks to Sweat, the defense statistically improved from one of the worst defenses in the entire league and managed to finish the year as the 12th best defense, per FOX Sports.
The 2023 Pro Bowler also made history when he led two teams in sacks last season. He recorded 6.5 sacks with Washington and logged another six with the Bears, per Sports Illustrated.
Sweat's impact has even carried over into this season. This was evident in the season opener when Sweat's defense led the Bears to victory over the Tennessee Titans.
The Bears may need to rely more on Sweat and Co. with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams manning the offense behind a porous line.
There's no lying that defense wins championships. If the Sweat and the defense can keep games close, it will make life easier for not just Williams, but the entire team, as well.