One year ago, Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles swung a deal with the Washington Commanders to bring Montez Sweat to the Windy City on Halloween. Since then, Sweat has become a Pro Bowler and signed a four-year, $98 million extension with the Bears.
On Sunday, Sweat will return to Landover, Maryland, to take on the Washington Commanders, the team that traded him last year.
Sweat understands that the NFL is a business but still acknowledges that he’s in a much better place than before the trade.
โIโm happy just being somewhere that Iโm wanted, being at a place where they want me to be, and Iโve got a spot,โ Sweat said. โItโs just a good environment. Youโre around guys you want to play for. Youโre around coaches you want to play for. That makes you want to go hard. That adds a big part to your game.โ
โItโs a business and I understand what comes with that,โ Sweat said. โI was offended, but I didnโt take it personal.โ
Sweat enters Sunday’s contest with just 2.5 sacks this season, well short of his 2023 pace when he recorded 12.5 sacks between Washington and Chicago. All of those sacks have come in the last four games, but he could be in line for a big day if he can summon up some extra juice against his old team.
While Washington’s interior offensive line has been solid this season, Sweat has the advantage over right tackle Andrew Wylie on Sunday.
While we have the potential for a Sweat revenge game, it looks like the matchup of the top two picks and quarterbacks taken in the 2024 NFL Draft will have to wait. It appears Jayden Daniels won’t be playing on Sunday after yet again missing practice on Friday with a rib injury.
Let’s also not forget that this is a homecoming for Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who grew up in the D.C. and Maryland area. Sprinkle in the fact that both teams are vying for playoff spots as we near the end of October, and there are storylines aplenty for this Sunday’s matchup between the Commanders and Bears.
But don’t ask Caleb Williams what he thinks of those storylines. He’s just here to win football games.
โNo,” Williams replied on Wednesday when asked whether or not he gets into the storylines. “My job is to go win games on Thursdays, Sundays, and Mondays. So, thatโs it.โ
Williams continues to be all business, and hopefully, he will continue to look like one of the best quarterbacks in football on Sunday, as he has in recent weeks. Williamsโ performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday was his best yet, with the rookie completing 23-of-29 passes for 226 yards (7.8 yards/attempt), four touchdowns, and one interception. He also rushed for 56 yards in the Bearsโ Week 6 victory.
Game Info
Chicago Bears (2024: 4-2) vs Washington Commanders (2024: 5-2)
TV: CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo)
Streaming: NFL+ *
Radio: ESPN 1000 AM (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Jason McKie)
Kickoff Time: 3:25 CT
Site: Commanders Stadium; Landover, MD.
Referee: Clete Blakeman
Odds: Bears -3, O/U 43 (via DraftKings)
Bears Projected Starters
Offense
- QB – Caleb Williams
- RB – D’Andre Swift
- WR – DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze
- TE – Cole Kmet
- OL – Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Coleman Shelton, Matt Pryor, Darnell Wright
Defense
- DL – Montez Sweat, Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter St., DeMarcus Walker
- LB – T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds
- CB – Jaylon Johnson, Jaylon Jones, Kyler Gordon
- S – Kevin Byard III, Elijah Hicks
Specialists
- Cairo Santos (kicker), Tory Taylor (punter, holder), Scott Daly (long snapper), DeAndre Carter (kick and punt returner)
Commanders Projected Starters
Offense
- QB – Marcus Mariota
- RB – Brian Robinson Jr.
- WR – Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus
- TE – Zach Ertz
- OL – Brandon Coleman, Nick Allegretti, Tyler Biadasz, Sam Cosmi, Andrew Wylie
Defense
- DL – Clelin Ferrell, Daron Payne, Jer’Zhan Newton, Dorance Armstrong
- LB – Frankie Luvu, Bobby Wagner, Dante Fowler Jr.
- CB – Benjamin St-Juste, Mike Sainristil
- S – Quan Martin, Jeremy Chinn
Specialists
- Austin Seibert (kicker), Tress Way (punter, holder), Tyler Ott (long snapper), Austin Ekeler (kick and punt returner)
Three Bears
Every week, our Chicago Bears writers will give you their Bears player to watch in the matchup ahead. Three Bears is a staple of these previews, and with Bears coverage expanding this season, I thought it would be cool to involve all of the Bears thinkers in the exercise.
Matt Rooney: Darnell Wright โ I’ll stay on brand and stick with an offensive lineman. Wright was very good in his rookie season. While I wouldn’t necessarily say he’s taken a step back this year, he most certainly hasn’t taken a step forward. Granted, his RG was a revolving door for a while, but now it’s locked in with Matt Pryor. The Commanders’ DL isn’t anything special. The Bears are coming off a bye, so Wright should be fresh. Now is the time for him to start trending up and not look back.
Luis Medina: Andrew Billings โ All eyes will be on Montez Sweat because we’re all expecting a revenge game from the former Commanders defensive end. But if Washington focuses too much energy on slowing down Sweat, it leaves his teammates open to make plays. This could be a statement game for the Bears’ big defensive tackle.
Patrick Flowers: Montez Sweat โ As Lu alluded, I think Montez Sweat will have a big day on Sunday. Sweat has 2.5 sacks in his last four games, and while he only logged a half sack in Week 6 against Jacksonville, he notched five quarterback hurries. I think Montez Sweat will have some extra juice for this matchup and have a big day against Andrew Wylie.