Montez Sweat anchors the Chicago Bears' defensive line, but where does he rank among the top edge rushers in the NFL?
If you were to ask Ben Johnson about Montez Sweat's 2025 season, the Chicago Bears coach would tell you how pleased he was with the defensive end's performance.
"I loved him during the season, but when you watch the self-scout after the year, I think this was a guy that played at a very high level," Johnson said during minicamp. "I talked to him yesterday about it. I would argue it was the best year of his career. Whether that showed up statistically or not, that's debatable, but his ability to play the run and play the pass, I thought he did a really nice job. Hopefully it's something that we can piggyback on and carry that momentum into this year.”
The 6-foot-6, 262-pound edge rusher finished the 2025 season with 53 total tackles, 10 sacks, 48 total quarterback pressures, five passes defensed and three forced fumbles. According to Next Gen Stats, Sweat also led the entire NFL with six turnovers created by pressure.
His 2025 season earned him the 91st spot on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2026. Sweat's coach and peers see an impactful player on Chicago's defense.
But where did the 29-year-old rank among the top edge rushers in the NFL? ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has started releasing his annual positional rankings, which feature votes from league executives, coaches and scouts to determine the top players at each position.
Not too surprising, but Sweat didn't finish in the top 10. He also wasn't listed as an honorable mention. He was one of six players who did receive votes.
Sweat's $24.5 million average annually salary is the 16th highest among NFL edge rushers. Yet, the Bears' defensive end held his own compared to the 15 players who make more than him.
Sweat isn't one of the elite pass rushers in the NFL, but he is good one that fits defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's scheme. And he is the primary defender opposing offense's have to worry about in Chicago's defense.
The Bears chose not to upgrade the defensive end position this offseason, so more pressure will fall on Sweat to elevate his game. His teammates will also have to pull more weight. Dayo Odeyingbo, Austin Booker, Shemar Turner and interior defensive lineman Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter Sr. will all need productive seasons to make Chicago's pass rush effective.
