Bears-Commanders Montez Sweat Trade Shows Opposite Views Of How To Address Future

Montez Sweat is a Chicago Bear.

The defensive end was traded from the Washington Commanders to the Bears Tuesday morning, only four hours from the NFL trade deadline, a source told OutKick.

The Bears are sending the Commanders a second-round pick in the 2024 draft, per multiple reports. And with the way the Bears’ season is going, the pick promises to be a top 5-10 pick in that second round.

But that's not what intrigues here.

This is:

The idea that the Commanders were going to be sellers is not surprising. OutKick reported on it Monday.

So, yes, the Commanders at 3-5 and losers of two consecutive games are in a sort of retreat now. They'll deny this. They'll come up with a different narrative. But their eyes are focused on the future.

Meanwhile, the idea the Bears are buying is interesting.

That's because the Bears actually have a worse record than the Commanders. Their quarterback is nursing a thumb injury. They've been trying to stay afloat with rookie free agent Tyson Bagent as their starting quarterback.

And their season has been filled with issues even before this.

So why are the struggling Bears doing this? Well, it's not about salvaging this season for the Bears, according to a club source.

It's about the future for them as well.

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Casey Toohill #95 and Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Commanders sack Marcus Mariota #1 of the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at FedExField on November 27, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

Bears See Trade With Commanders As Long-Term

The Bears, you see, have every intention of signing Sweat to a long-term contract as he addresses their obvious need to add pass rush help. They intend to engage with Sweat's representation on the matter even during this season, per one source.

They have no intention to let Sweat hit free agency next year, which he could do as an unsigned player next March.

And the reason the Bears have these intentions is because next year the club has a ton of available cap space to make it work with Sweat. Chicago actually is expected to be the team with the most cap space in the entire NFL in 2024, according to Overthecap.

The amount of that cap space the Bears will enjoy is expected to be in the $110 million range. Again, more than anyone else.

So the Bears don't view this as a rental of a player whose contract expires after this season. They are already budgeting the Sweat signing as a 2024 cap move. And they're giving up the draft pick with the idea of locking that in so no other team can swoop in and take their player in free agency.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 13: Quarterback Nick Mullens #4 of the San Francisco 49ers is sacked by defensive end Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Football Team in the third quarter of the game at State Farm Stadium on December 13, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

Commanders Deal Sweat To Bears With Eye On Future

They are, in short, looking at this trade with an eye on the future as much as for some help the rest of this season.

That is a significant difference than how the Commanders viewed Sweat. They too wished to keep the productive pass rusher.

But because they also had defensive end Chase Young on the roster and he also is unsigned for next year, the club decided it would not be able to afford both players as free agents next year.

So Washington dealt Sweat, got a draft pick, and now will try to keep Young next offseason.

And why is this different approach than what the Bears are doing interesting? Because the Commanders also have a ton of projected cap space in 2024.

CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 11: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Washington Commanders looks on during the first half of a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on August 11, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Commanders Retreating On 2023 After Sweat Move

The Commanders don't have as much as Chicago. They're not leading the NFL with $110 million in projected cap space. But they're fourth in projected cap space for 2024.

The Commanders figure to have approximately $91 million in cap space next year. And they actually have more players locked into contracts (40) than the Bears (36).

So it could be argued the Commanders have as much room to operate as the Bears. They could have conceivably kept both Young and Sweat if they really, really wanted.

And yet, they decided Sweat was a luxury they couldn't afford. While the Bears decided Sweat was a necessity they couldn't live without.

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