The Bears just locked in their prize of the trade deadline.
Chicago and defensive end Montez Sweat have agreed to a four-year contract extension with $98 million in new money and $72.9 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. The total deal is worth $105 million, per Rapoport.
The team later announced the news.
Sweat's new average salary of $24.5 million per year leapfrogs him over the recently signed Rashan Gary and into fifth among edge rushers, per Over the Cap.
Although the 2-6 Bears were unexpected buyers on Tuesday in landing Sweat from the Washington Commanders for a 2024 second-round pick, the move to extend the fifth-year pro's stay in the Windy City comes as no surprise.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles said as much Wednesday, telling reporters he hoped a new deal wouldn't take "too long."
Indeed it didn't, and now Sweat is under contract with the Bears through 2027.
The 27-year-old becomes a building block for Chicago moving forward after spending five solid seasons in Washington.
A 2019 first-round selection, Sweat amassed 35.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, 47 tackles for loss and 85 quarterback hits across 67 starts for the Commanders. Regardless of his output, Washington decided to move on from both Sweat and his teammate Chase Young in their contract years.
While Young landed in San Francisco to pair with Nick Bosa and a fearsome defensive front, Sweat immediately becomes Chicago's most prominent pass rusher.
The Bears have managed just 10 sacks through eight games in 2023, five fewer than any other team.
T.J. Edwards and Yannick Ngakoue currently lead the defense with two sacks apiece.
Meanwhile, Sweat is well on pace with 6.5 sacks to break his previous career high of nine.
The Bears were already hoping to see an immediate impact from him on Sunday against the Saints. After striking a massive extension, they can look forward to benefitting from Sweat's talents for years to come.
