![]() Yes, they drafted Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith. Johnson has done everything the Poles-Matt Eberflus regime has asked since they arrived, and the Bears should want to reward him and keep him in Chicago long-term. Trading top-level players at premium positions who are in their mid-20s is usually losing business in the NFL. Poles' discipline has bitten him a few times early in his tenure as general manager, but in this case, it served him well. NFL insider Josina Anderson reported that Johnson doesn't plan to re-enter negotiations with the Bears, but the Bears are hopeful that stance will change. Now, Johnson and the Bears can have a cooling-off period before hopefully getting back to the negotiating table and finding common ground. The Bears gave Johnson permission to seek a trade, but sources told NBC Sports Chicago that the asking price was "significant." While the Bears had several teams interested in acquiring Johnson, they didn't budge on their ask. Johnson has been one of the best cover corners in football this season, and there's a chance the addition of Sweat's pass-rush ability will help lead to more takeaways for Johnson and the Bears' secondary. On paper, having Sweat (27), linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (25), and Johnson (24) would give the Bears three defensive building blocks - one at each level - to construct their defense around. That brings us to Johnson, the 24-year-old cornerback in the final year of his rookie contract. You can argue he overpaid for Sweat, given the Bears' current state, but they desperately need an edge rusher that offensive lines must gameplan to stop.Įddie Jackson's view of Tyson Bagent, defense's struggles in Bears' loss vs. That's what Sweat brings.Īs long as the Bears pay to keep Sweat in Chicago and he continues to produce at the elite level he has for the past five seasons, this deal should go down as a win for Poles. The San Francisco Chronicle's Mike Silver also noted that some in the Commanders organization saw Young as an "undisciplined" player who would go away from his assignment to try and create "splash plays." That's not what the Bears need. ![]() That's also why that deal came with a higher price tag. Young's medical history - he suffered a massive knee injury in 2021 - and reported desire to test the open market this offseason likely made Sweat a safer and more palatable option for the Bears. It appears the Bears chose to pursue Sweat over Chase Young, who the Commanders later dealt to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round pick. They could also use the franchise or transition tag on him this offseason should talks not progress, but either way, Sweat will be in Chicago past Week 18 of this season. ![]() The Bears made the trade with a long-term vision, so they clearly have plans to extend Sweat. Sweat will be a free agent at year's end. The second half of the tax comes when the Bears and Sweat get to the negotiating table on a new contract. ![]() There's a price for adding elite talent at a premium position, and Poles paid the first half of his roster-altering tax with the second-round pick. For comparison, Bears defensive end Yannick Ngakoue ranks 24, 28, and 31 out of 32 qualified rushers. Per Pro Football Focus, Sweat's 27 pressures, eight sacks, and 10.6 win percentage rank 19, 5, and 21, respectively, among edge rushers with at least 200 pass-rush snaps this season. That's a high price, but Sweat is an elite edge rusher who fills the biggest hole on the Bears' roster. Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.Īs the Bears were fielding calls for Johnson, Poles traded Chicago's 2024 second-round pick to the Washington Commanders for 27-year-old edge rusher Montez Sweat. ![]()
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