Before we dive into this week's breakdown, I gotta keep it real with y'all. I'm a one-man show over here doing my best to crank out deep-dive content loaded with analytics, film takes, and all that good football junkie shit. But sometimes? I throw an interception or two. And yeah, looks like I threw a damn pick-six in two of my previous articles this week. My bad.
I read your comments, I see the feedback, and I truly appreciate y’all taking the time to check out what I do. Just like Ben Johnson always says: "Good, better, best, never let it rest." I'm taking that same mindset to heart and doing everything I can to make sure what I give you is always top-shelf.
Alright, enough of me yapping. I know that’s not why you’re here.
Let’s take a deep dive into Montez Sweat.
This guy is on the back of a milk carton right now. You seen him? Because through six weeks of the 2025 NFL season, the guy Chicago handed $98 million to might as well be a ghost on Sundays. One sack, a handful of pressures, and a whole lot of "meh." And this isn’t just about counting stats — it’s about getting cooked in every meaningful analytic that matters for a pass rusher.
Let’s get this out of the way: $24.5 million per year puts Sweat in the top 10 of edge rusher salaries. That’s star-level money for a guy who, right now, isn't living up to the price tag. When you’re sitting next to names like Brian Burns, Trey Hendrickson, and Rashan Gary on the salary sheet, expectations come with the territory. You’re paid to destroy game plans. Sweat’s been more of a mildly inconvenient breeze off Lake Michigan.
The Numbers Don’t Lie — They Scream
One. Single. Sack.
That’s what Sweat has managed through five games in 2025. Meanwhile, Brian Burns is out here eating tackles alive with 6.0 sacks, and Rashan Gary, who has the same paycheck, is sitting at 4.5 sacks. Even Will Anderson Jr., still cashing rookie deal checks, has 3.0 sacks and is wrecking games on the regular.
Here's how bad it looks:
Sack Comparison Through Week 6 (PFF):
- Nik Bonitto (Broncos): 10.0
- Brian Burns (Giants): 6.0
- Rashan Gary (Packers): 4.0
- Trey Hendrickson (Bengals): 4.0
- Will Anderson Jr. (Texans): 3.0
- Montez Sweat (Bears): 1.0
And if you want to lean on the "traditional stats don’t tell the whole story" crutch, I'd say you're right — sacks aren’t the only measure of how good a player is. But it’s not like the other analytics are doing him any favors either. In fact, sorry — it gets even worse.
The Advanced Metrics Are a Damn Crime Scene
Sweat's pressure rate is hovering at 12.3% (NFL Next Gen) or 14.1% (PFF). That’s average at best. Compare that to Will Anderson Jr.'s 20.8% or Hendrickson's career 17.4%, and you’re talking about a massive drop-off. The pass rush win rate is where things hit rock bottom: Sweat clocks in at
~15%, ranking outside the top 32 edge rushers. That’s not just bad. That’s "you sure you’re a starter?" bad.
Let’s put it in perspective (Through Week 6 PFF):
- Will Anderson Jr.: ~32%
- Danielle Hunter: ~26%
- Jonathan Greenard: ~20%
- Montez Sweat: 15% (Yikes)
You can't polish that. That's eighth-worst among PFF's top-50 pass rushers. Even his own teammate Dom Rob rocking a ridiculous ~18%, outperforming him in this category.
PFF Grades: The Last Bastion of Excuse-Making
PFF has Sweat graded at 78.5 overall (24th among edge rushers) with a 74.5 pass rush grade. Now look — I know PFF isn’t gospel. They’ve been catching heat lately for some questionable evaluations, and I get it. They don’t tell the whole story. But they do offer solid directionality, and right now that direction is pointing straight at disappointment. When you’re 24th in grading but 65th+ in actual production, there's a clear disconnect. Tape don’t lie, and the tape says there's work to do.
Now, to be fair — most of this article has been focused on his pass rush metrics, and that’s where the money is, but Sweat hasn’t been a total liability. He’s been solid against the run. That Week 6 performance against Washington? He posted a 91.4 PFF grade, the highest in the league for any defender that week. And overall, he’s holding a 71.9 run defense grade, good for 17th in the NFL among edge rushers. That’s definitely been his strength.
But let’s be real — you don’t get paid $98 million just to be a run-stuffer. That kind of check says "go wreck the quarterback." And so far, he hasn’t come close.
Against the Money: Who’s Earning Their Pay?
Let’s compare Sweat to other guys in his tax bracket:
- Brian Burns ($28.2M) — 6 sacks, elite pressure rates, disrupting games weekly.
- Trey Hendrickson ($30M) — 4 sacks, consistent havoc, proven history.
- Rashan Gary ($24M) — 4 sacks, Red-hot start, cooled off but still effective.
- Will Anderson Jr. (rookie deal) — Elite everything, on a budget.
Meanwhile, Sweat is the guy getting paid steakhouse prices but right now the dish just isn’t living up to what’s on the menu.
The Context Excuses: Valid or Just Weak Sauce?
No Edge Help
Sure, Sweat doesn’t have a dance partner on the other side. He’s not blessed with a Danielle Hunter or a T.J. Watt-type duo. But great players win anyway. Myles Garrett is double-teamed 76% of the time and still eats QBs for breakfast. Sweat? He gets a chip block and disappears.
Scheme + Team Woes
The Bears' 26.1% team pass rush win rate is the worst in the NFL. The whole unit is flopping, and Sweat is just the face of the failure. But guess what? When you’re the $98 million man, it’s your job to raise the floor and so far, he just hasn’t been able to lift the group the way a top-tier guy should.
Lingering Injuries
Yes, Sweat had injury issues in 2024. That might explain some of the drop-off in explosiveness. But it doesn’t excuse a disappearing act this complete. If he’s not 100%, then why was he logging full starter reps? And if he was healthy, then we’ve got a bigger problem.
Sweating the Wrong Direction
In 2023: 12.5 sacks In 2024: 5.5 sacks On pace for 2025: ~3 sacks
That’s not a slump — that’s a nosedive. And Bears fans didn’t sign up for a $100 million downhill skier.
As Bears legend Lance Briggs summed it up perfectly: “Am I a premier player or just a guy? Right now you look like just a guy getting paid premier money."
Final Verdict
If Sweat wants to rewrite the narrative, it starts with winning. Not just games, but pass rush reps. Beat your man. Convert pressures into sacks. Stop getting washed out of plays. Raise hell.
The Bears didn’t pay him to be adequate. Ryan Poles traded a second-round pick and handed this man a massive check not to be just a guy — but to be dominant on that side of the ball. Right now, he’s a rubber knife. Can that change? Sure. There’s a lot of football left. But at this point, the return on investment is looking shaky.
So if this trend doesn’t reverse fast, Montez Sweat won’t just be one of Ryan Poles’ biggest gambles — he’ll be his signature mistake.
FYI: I’m still pulling for you, Montez — go out there, flip the script, and show us the guy Ryan Poles believed in.
