NFL’s latest Montez Sweat snub could push the Bears star to answer Chicago’s biggest question heading into 2026
Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat cracked the NFL’s Top-100 list but was left off ESPN’s Top-10 edge rusher rankings, a sign that there’s more he can look to show in 2026. And that’s something the Bears are banking on.
I won’t be the first to say that the Chicago Bears need to get more out of defensive end Montez Sweat this upcoming season, which is still an odd thing to say about a guy that quietly had a double-digit sack season in 2025.
Sweat, however, was acquired by the Bears to be a game-changer and an elevator for the entire defensive front. He’s not Micah Parsons or Myles Garrett, but the Bears view this guy (and are paying him) like a Top-10 edge rusher in the league.
The rest of the league doesn’t quite view him as that kind of player going into the 2026 season. It should be a sign to Sweat that there’s more he can look to show in 2026, and that’s something the Bears are banking on happening.
Montez Sweat doesn’t crack ESPN’s Top-10 edge rusher rankings heading into 2026
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler dropped his latest Top-10 positional rankings on Wednesday focusing on the edge rusher position. Sweat was not included within that list which was voted on by league executives, coaches, and scouts. He did receive votes, but not enough to earn an honorable mention like cornerback Jaylon Johnson received on Tuesday.
Looking at who made the Top-10 and made the honorable mention list, it’s easy to see why Sweat didn’t make the cut. All 13 of those players are consistently really good pass rushers and capable of flipping a game on it’s head. However, there’s more to it than just sacking the quarterback and that’s where Sweat is overlooked to an extent.
“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,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson of Sweat. “I talked to him about, ‘Hey, 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, play the pass, I thought he did a really nice job, and hopefully it’s something we can piggyback on and carry that momentum into this year.”
Players viewed Montez Sweat as one of the best edge rushers in football
While Sweat was left off ESPN’s Top-10 rankings, he was included in the NFL’s Top-100 players list that’s been rolling out over the last few days, a sign that the players have high respect for his game. Where he actually ranks among his position in that list will be something to watch once the entire list has been revealed.
Regardless, here are some of the things his peers said about his game heading into the 2026 season that earned him the No. 91 spot in the league.
“Really good size, good length, and he uses it in his game – takes advantage of it,” Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Roger Rosengarten explained. “He’s a smart player… Those are the qualities you want in a defensive lineman and I think he’s got it.”
“He’s one of the more freaky athlete type of guys,” Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby added.
The tools and intangibles are there for Sweat to be among the top pass rushers in football if he can consistently put it together. The Bears believe he can be one of those players and be one of the team’s top elite game-changers this upcoming season, now he just has to actually prove it for all 17 games.
“You hear the chatter,” Sweat said. “It is what it is. Everybody has an opinion. We’ve just got to go out there and do what we’ve got to do.”