The Chicago Bears just watched an NFC rival and the team that beat them in the playoffs last year trade for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The Bears can like how their offseason went and still feel defeated at the thought of Myles Garret on the Los Angeles Rams. While Josh Sweat is not of the caliber of Garrett, he is a name that the Bears could trade for to keep up in the arms race that has started. Does he make sense?
The Chicago Bears might reconsider Josh Sweat after the Myles Garrett trade
The big thing holding back the Bears from adding Sweat is that they would have to pick up about $11M in salary and as the Bears currently stand they only have about $11M in cap space. However, if they do trade for Sweat they can work out an extension or change the bonus structure of his contract to move things around to future years. They can also restructure current players to make room for Sweat.
What makes Sweat more attractive than someone like Garrett or Maxx Crosby is that Sweat is not going to cost nearly as much in draft capital. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report currently has the Arizona Cardinals projected to receive something along the lines of a 2027 fourth-round pick that could conditionally become a third round pick if he hit some sort of incentives.
The Bears would have needed a massive package to get Garrett considering they do not have a replacement edge rusher like Jared Verse. The same can be said for Crosby, who was dealt to Balimote for multiple firsts before he failed his physical.Â
Sweat is not that quite that caliber of player, but he has 12 sacks last year. That is much better than what the Bears had and it at least makes things tighter in the NFC picture.Â
 The big question is how much the Bears want to tie up future money on their salary cap. Chicago is expected to work out an extension with Darnell Wright and they have Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, Colsotn Loveland and Luther Burden all ascending and needing contracts in the next few years. Chicago could max things out and go all-in for someone like Sweat, but right now they seem interested in playing the long game. The Bears patience might be what prevents them from a trade for Josh Sweat.
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