The Chicago Bears know the offense must make the biggest strides for this team to become a legitimate contender. It was the primary reason Ben Johnson was hired as head coach. The challenge is doing that without sacrificing the defense. Previous head coaches failed to achieve this balance. Matt Nagy was fortunate to inherit Vic Fangio for a season, but never found an adequate replacement. Marc Trestman completely flubbed it with Mel Tucker. Johnson knew he needed somebody to come in and get the most out of a good roster. That is why he went for Dennis Allen, a veteran coordinator with experience and creativity. His first order of business was figuring out why certain key names took a step back last year, particularly Montez Sweat.
Chicago knew the defensive end was the key to their entire defense. His ability to affect the quarterback impacted everything else. Only getting 5.5 sacks last season was a major disappointment. Many couldn’t help but wonder if Sweat might’ve peaked in 2023 and didn’t have much incentive to get better. However, reports later surfaced that the former Pro Bowler battled several injuries all season. Jeff Hughes of Sports Mockery appears on the Bears Film Room podcast, revealing a serious buzz inside Halas Hall around how Sweat looks in training camp.
Montez Sweat looks like a player out for blood this season.
As videos and photos can attest, he’s in excellent shape. More than that, he appears rejuvenated since the new coaching staff took over. His recent interview with NFL Network showed a player who was animated, upbeat, and boasting a bit of an edge. The Bears know how important he is to their success. Since arriving in Chicago, they are 4-6 in games where Montez Sweat has a sack. All six losses were decided by five points or fewer. Two include the painful collapse against Cleveland and the Hail Mary game against Washington. The point is the Bears play much better football when Sweat is hunting. It sounds like he’s ready and eager to do so again in 2025.
He’ll have plenty of help. Not only will Allen’s scheme find better matchups for him, but the arrivals of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo should ease some of the pressure on him.
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