There was chatter this weekend about the Bears having interest in a trade for Commanders defensive end Chase Young, but it will be a different player making the move from Washington to Chicago on Tuesday.
According to multiple reports, the Bears have agreed to a trade that will land them defensive end Montez Sweat. They will send a 2024 second-round pick to Washington in exchange for Sweat.
Sweat is in the final year of his rookie contract and the Bears have plenty of cap space in 2024 that they could put toward a contract extension. One would imagine that’s the plan given the compensation they’re sending to the Commanders, but the Bears sent a second-round pick to the Steelers for wide receiver Chase Claypool and he has already been moved to Miami for a much smaller return.
Sweat has 32 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles this season. The Bears only have 10 sacks as a team, so Sweat gives them a major upgrade in the pass rush department. That may not result in much immediate change to their fortunes as far as the standings go, but signing him to a new deal would give the team a strong base to build on for next year.
The Commanders are also starting to look toward the future with this trade and the big question on the table now is how sweeping the changes will be in Washington.
