By now, we know the status quo regarding the Chicago Bears‘ pass rush. General manager Ryan Poles and the coaching staff spent most of the offseason fortifying the interior with potential help at defensive tackle. However, they seemed intent on avoiding edge rushers altogether. No free agents. No draft picks. The explanation was that the team wants to give Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner a chance to build on what they started last year before their respective injuries. Most believe they want to let Austin Booker continue the way he finished last season. That is why they haven’t been seriously involved in any big names up to this point. That could change with Josh Sweat.
One common thread among previous big names like Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett is that they went for massive packages. We’re talking multiple 1st round picks. The same likely won’t be true with Sweat. While a very good player, he doesn’t carry quite the same star power. That means he could probably be had for a couple of Day 2 picks. The obvious question is whether Arizona would consider the idea. ESPN seems to think it is a very real possibility.
“He signed a four-year, $76.4 million contract with Arizona in the 2025 offseason, cashing in off a Super Bowl win with the Eagles. But obviously things didn’t go well last season for the Cardinals, who have a new coach and a new defense.
Sweat is staying away from Arizona’s offseason program and letting it be known he’s not happy there. An acquiring team would take on a guaranteed $17 million in 2027 compensation for Sweat, and none of the remaining years or money on his contract is guaranteed after that. That’s a good deal for a player such as Sweat and should result in decent outside interest.”
Josh Sweat would be worth the price tag.
For one, he’s as productive as ever, coming off a 12.5-sack season for the Cardinals. The Bears haven’t had that level of production since Khalil Mack left. Putting him together with Montez Sweat would give them a formidable 1-2 punch, while also allowing Booker to narrow his focus to being a rotational pass rusher. Then there is the age. Sweat just turned 29. He’s not over the hill by any means. Health permitting, he probably has around three good seasons left. That is good since his contract has three years remaining.
The only trick for the Bears would be creating the necessary cap space to absorb it. That would require some restructuring of other deals on the payroll. This is where it gets difficult. Poles has been reluctant to do such things from the outset. He doesn’t like kicking the can down the road and creating future cap problems. That is why most of the restructures he’s done have been isolated and minor. Sweat would require a little more juggling than normal. It comes down to how nervous the Bears are about the pass rush.
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This is where it gets difficult.
Right now, the team doesn’t have any definitive answers. Spring practices don’t include pads, so it’s harder to assess defensive line play. Not only that, but neither Turner nor Odeyingbo is due back anytime soon from their injuries. The earliest the Bears can start getting answers is during the first week of training camp when the pads go on. How Booker performs, along with the depth options behind him, may go a long way in clarifying where the Bears stand. The other part is recovery.
Where do Turner and Odeyingbo sit in their returns? Torn ACLs and Achilles are no joke. They take a long time to heal. There is a strong probability that neither of them will be ready for the start of camp. If they’re liable to mix the beginning of the regular season, it puts the team in a compromising position. That is why trading for Josh Sweat holds merit. If they want to sustain their success from last season, it starts with accepting the reality that they aren’t strong enough at a critical position.
As expensive as the acquisition would be, it’d instantly make them better.
