Bears GM Ryan Poles praises Montez Sweat's offseason preparation
Expectations were high for the Chicago Bears going into the 2024 season. Not only from a record standpoint, but also for individual players and what they could produce on the field. Unfortunately, the Bears fell flat in their quest to make it back to the postseason, in part due to quite a few players not performing their best on the field.
That includes defensive end Montez Sweat, who came into last season with a fresh new four-year, $98 million contract and plans to build off his impressive 2023 campaign. Instead, Sweat finished the year with 32 total tackles, nine for loss, 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles while playing in 16 games.
It was a far cry from his previous season, and it left Bears fans questioning the team's investment in him, though lingering injuries played a factor in his production dip. It seems Sweat is motivated to bounce back, and his general manager is taking notice.
On Thursday, Bears general manager Ryan Poles spoke with ESPN 1000's Kap & J-Hood and revealed Sweat is training at a level he has never seen from the Pro Bowl edge rusher. "I don't think there is anyone in this building working as hard as Montez Sweat right now," Poles said. "He's pushing weight, he's getting strong, he's getting in shape. He's locked in like I've never seen him before."
The Bears didn't spend any major draft capital on an edge rusher, and their only significant move this offseason has been to sign Dayo Odeyingbo. The Bears are counting on Sweat to return to form, and it's reassuring to hear he's committed to getting there. That didn't always seem like the case.
Early in the offseason last year, Sweat was one of the more notable players absent from voluntary workouts. Though the keyword is "voluntary" and players aren't required to show up, you always want to see the key veterans participating when they can. It sounds like Sweat is changing things up, which bodes well for the team's 2025 expectations.
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