Why Montez Sweat is well worth the trade for Chicago Bears 2nd-round pick

For the second-straight year, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles sent away his high second-round pick at the NFL trade deadline to acquire a young player to bolster a major position of need on his roster.

He lost the benefit of the doubt after Chase Claypool failed spectacularly, but Poles' deadline deal for Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat will pay immediate dividends with much lower risk.

Unlike Claypool, Sweat is a proven player with consistent production as a pass rusher and in run defense, and he doesn't come with any major red flags. That kind of player doesn't become available in free agency and aren't easy to find in the NFL Draft. Poles secured the sure thing.

Sweat isn't a top-tier, elite pass rusher. It takes multiple first-round picks to trade for a player of Khalil Mack's caliber. But Sweat can win in a variety of ways and make a positive impact on your defense in any situation.

He's an explosive rusher with speed off the edge to challenge any offensive tackle. That pairs well with his his length and bend to turn the corner and collapse the pocket. Justin Fields experienced that combination first hand last season when Sweat sacked him in the fourth quarter of their Week 5 matchup.

Sweat gave Braxton Jones the "stab and swipe" and used his nearly 36-inch arm to keep the left tackle from getting control of him, before planting his foot in the ground and bending the edge at a 45-degree angle to turn and chase Fields. The quarterback thought he had escaped, but Sweat came back to finish the job.

He's not just a speed rusher, though. He can engage with stronger, physical right tackles and use their might against them. Like this season when he went up against Darnell Wright in Week 6 and sacked Fields on the first drive of the game.

Sweat came at Wright with power, initially putting his hands inside the pads of the right tackle. As Wright anchored to resist the push, Sweat stepped back and pulled the rookie forward toward him (a "push-pull" move), to jar him off balance. Then he ran by him with an easy rip around the edge and a direct path to the quarterback.

He has a repertoire of pass rush moves in his arsenal with some counters to boot, but he's just as strong against the run too. Sacks get defensive ends paid, but he'll earn his salary on the dirty work too.

Prior the trade, he was tied for second in the NFL in tackles for a loss, tied with the likes of Aaron Donald and Maxx Crosby. He also is smart enough to know his role, do his job and let his teammates get the glory.

He's stout enough to hold the edge against a mauler like Wright to leave no room in the running lane. Sweat put his hands inside of Wright's, with good pad level to maximize the leverage he had with his long arms, all while keeping his eyes on the ball-carrier to stay with the play. The defensive end didn't need to be the one knifing into the backfield to make the tackle for a loss. He did his job.

Sweat has never been a Pro Bowl player, but he's a well-rounded asset that will boost this Bears defensive line in every way and provide a nice running mate opposite Yannick Ngakoue. He's a much better deadline trade for Ryan Poles. No need to Sweat this one.