Did Montez Sweat Quit Last Season? Some In The NFL Think So

The Chicago Bears pass rush was a disappointment last season. While Gervon Dexter took an encouraging step forward, everybody else seemed to regress. Nowhere was that more noticeable than with Montez Sweat. Keep this in mind. Last year, Sweat arrived midway through the season. In nine games, he collected six sacks and 37 pressures. He looked exactly like the Pro Bowl player he was. Last season, in 16 games, he had 5.5 sacks and 49 pressures. There's no getting around it. Sweat wasn't nearly the impact player he was the year before.

Some have questioned what happened. The defense was the same. He even got more help from Dexter in the middle. By rights, he should've had another strong season. The initial assumption was that he played a large chunk of the season hurt. However, some inside the NFL aren't buying that. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog contacted an executive friend who openly stated that Sweat might've phoned the season in. Why? Mainly because there was no evidence of an injury issue on tape.

Who don't you love on this defensive line? "I don't love Sweat. Especially after the 2024 tape. There's just been this assumption around the league that he was hurt last season but what's the injury? Normally, we can look at the tape and see what's nagging a guy. Nothing is obvious on his tape."

Timelines back up both arguments on Montez Sweat.

Through the season's first seven games, he was very effective, notching 3.5 sacks and 24 pressures. Things took a turn after the brutal loss in Washington. He missed the following week with a shin injury. Though he didn't miss any more time after that, his effectiveness took a massive dip. In the final nine games, he had two sacks and 25 pressures. Was this a side effect of his lower leg injuries (he also had ankle problems around that time) or a player losing his drive after a gutwrenching loss where the head coach refused to take accountability? Montez Sweat isn't likely to offer clarity on that subject. One thing is certain. The Bears better hope it was a health issue. If the defensive end did indeed dog it down the stretch, he may not be the multiplier they need to win a championship.