The Chicago Bears witnessed their most hated rival, the Green Bay Packers, acquire Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys, and the fallout provides some potentially useful context regarding Montez Sweat.
The Packers made the biggest non-quarterback trade, arguably, since their own to land Khalil Mack from the then-Oakland Raiders.
But it is the details of Parson’s extension with the Packers that are most relevant for Sweat and the Bears.
Montez Sweat, Bears Heading for Key Date Amid Packers’ Deal With Micah Parsons
Bears DE Montez Sweat Among Top-10 Highest Paid
Sweat is entering his second full season with the Bears. He is also in Year 2 of a four-year, $98 million contract with $62.8 million guaranteed. The Packers inked Parsons to a four-year, $186 million extension following the trade.
Green Bay sent two first-round draft picks and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark to Dallas for Parsons.
The Bears sent a second-round pick to the Washington Commanders for Sweat in 2023.
Parsons has unquestionably been the more productive of the two, who entered the league two years apart. He recorded a career-low 12.5 sacks in 2024. Sweat, who is more of a traditional defensive end, has one double-digit sack season in his career.
He got 6.5 of his career-high 12.5 sacks in 2023 with the Commanders. Sweat ranks 18th in the NFL in sacks since he entered the league.
There are other aspects to playing the position, but sacks are what the Bears need from Sweat.
Sweat is 13th in pressures, 15th in QB hits, 19th in tackles for loss, and 20th in QB hurries in that same six-year span. However, his contract ranks eighth in total value, 10th in average salary, and 11th in fully guaranteed money.
This is a big season for Sweat, who will see $10 million of his $20.9 million salary in 2026 become guaranteed on the third day of the new league year.
According to Over The Cap, the Bears could trade Sweat then and save $20 million.
The Bears, who were middle of the pack as a team in sacks in 2025, would incur $4 million in dead money. But that is better than cutting him in that same window and facing more than $14 million in penalties with $11 million in savings.
Sweat will be heading into his age-30 season. He has drawn praise from head coach Ben Johnson and others amid a strong training camp and offseason program. Backups Austin Booker (injured) and Dominique Robinson flash but are largely unproven, and Dayo Odeyingbo has yet to make a consistent impact.
The Bears need Sweat to show up in big ways on game days more often this coming season.
Bears Face Several Critical Roster Questions as Cap Crunch Looms
Sweat is hardly the Bears’ only concern, with fellow stalwarts – and Bears draft picks – Cole Kmet and Jaylon Johnson also having potential outs in their deals next offseason. Both players also face noteworthy circumstances that could impact their futures.
Johnson has spoken about the cornerback market, which, like the edge rusher scene, has seen salaries increase exponentially since he signed his four-year, $76 million deal.
He has also missed all of training camp and the preseason with a soft-tissue injury.
Kmet (four years, $50 million) has been present, but he now has rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland in the tight end room with him. That leads to another point: neither Johnson nor Kmet was drafted under Johnson’s watch, or that of general manager Ryan Poles.
They have been staples on the field and leaders in the locker room. But OTC projects the Bears will have $1.3 million in space in 2026.
Extensions would open up room now, but limit flexibility heading into the players’ latter stages.
Productive seasons from Johnson, Kmet, and/or Sweat could actually make things more complicated for the Bears in that sense. But the Bears would surely make that trade-off if it meant wins this coming season.