"I take it all wholeheartedly": Montez Sweat on being handed a ‘bigger role’ in second season with the Bears

Defensive end Montez Sweat is ready to start his first full season with the Chicago Bears. Sweat was traded by the Washington Commanders to the Bears just ahead of the trade deadline in 2023. The 27-year-old had to quickly acclimate himself to the Bears defense midseason.

As trading camp embarked this weekend, Sweat spoke to the media about his feelings heading into a full season in Chicago. A season where the defensive end is expecting more responsibility and a bigger workload, a sentiment he shared with reporters on Saturday at the team's first practice camp.

"Yeah, that's natural. It comes with the territory. I take it all wholeheartedly. It's definitely a bigger role," Sweat said, per the team's website.

Montez Sweat then compared his preparation ahead of his second season with the Chicago Bears. This year, he feels he has more time to truly prepare with his team. Sweat said:

"Oh, it's completely different. We're starting from the ground, from Install 1, so instead of coming in with a playbook where everybody around me already knows what they're doing, I'm actually learning it with them, going through the process, and actually bringing some knowledge that I have from last year into this year."

Sweat is expected to help the Chicago Bears defense enter a new chapter as they look to climb out of the bottom of the NFC North standings.

Montez Sweat claps back at NFC North foe's comments

Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus applauded Montez Sweat's offseason conditioning program as he arrived at training camp in great condition. Just about a month ago, though, Sweat defended his offseason training when he was called out by Green Bay Packers defensive end Preston Smith.

In a post on X, Smith wrote that he heard Sweat had skipped an offseason workout and then doubted that Sweat could help the Bears defeat the Packers during the season:

"@_sweat9 skipped the track workout today and expect to help the bears beat us. yea aite," Smith posted.

Montez Sweat responded by writing that he did work out, just at a different time. The defensive end then said that the Packers' winning streak over the Bears will be in jeopardy this season.

"I went with the 12 o’clock group, better enjoy that lil streak while you can," Sweat wrote.

The Green Bay Packers have defeated the Chicago Bears in 10 straight games. The Bears will have two chances in 2024 to try and break the streak of their NFC North rival.