In terms of draft compensation, the Chicago Bears don’t seem likely to find the trade value they desire for quarterback Justin Fields, but they might be able to get there in the form of an active player.
On Wednesday, March 13, Windy City Gridiron’s Jacob Infante made a trade proposal that would have traded Fields to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for edge rusher Josh Sweat.
Josh Sweat has only been in the game for four years, but already at the age of 26. Eagles are poised to trade him, according to Infante. Justin Fields and Philadelphia have been connected. Straight up, sweat swap fields. Let’s get into the Chicago heat.
According to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro, who reported on March 11, the Eagles have been deliberating for the past few weeks on whether to move Josh Sweat, fellow pass rusher Haason Reddick, or both.
According to Zangaro, the Eagles have been considering trade options for Josh Sweat and/or leading edge rusher Haason Reddick in recent weeks. “[Bryce] Huff’s addition won’t slow down that process, and if both of their 2023 starters return, it would be pretty surprising at this point.”
Addressing the pass rush, which finished the previous season ranked 31st out of 32 teams in the NFL with just 30 total sacks, will be one of Chicago’s main goals this offseason.
If the Bears hadn’t addressed one aspect of the defense by sending defensive end Montez Sweat to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a second-round pick, things most likely would have been much worse. With 12.5 sacks between the two clubs at the end of the season, he became the only player in league history to lead two franchises in total sacks in the same year.
For his performances in 2023, 27-year-old Montez Sweat was selected for the Pro Bowl for the first time in his five-year NFL career. He also signed a four-year contract worth a total of $98 million. Josh Sweat has played in six seasons of the league and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2021. His current deal, which is good through the 2019–20 season, is for a total of $40 million over three years.
Josh Sweat didn’t play excellent run defense in 2022, but according to Pro Football Focus, he recorded 7.0 sacks, 16 QB hits, 45 hurries, and 68 total pressures. As a result, going ahead, Josh and Montez Sweat would be a dangerous duo on opposite ends of the Bears’ defense.
In case you were wondering, neither of the two players is related by blood.
Changing Fields for Sweat is a straightforward fix for many of Chicago’s issues.
The Bears’ first priority is to get real value for the quarterback, which will be challenging given how many teams that could compete for him have already committed to long-term starters or backup quarterbacks in free agency. Fields’ value is further hurt by the possibility that there could be six first-round quarterbacks in the 2017 draft class.
It’s likely that Chicago will take Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall and utilize the No. 9 pick to address one of three positions: edge rusher, wide receiver, or left tackle. The Bears were expecting Fields to be worth a pick in the second round, probably to cover one of those three spots if they choose not to use the No. 9 pick.
That is achieved by extending Josh Sweat and trading for him. As of Wednesday, the Bears had $56.3 million in salary space, so it makes sense to absorb the defensive end’s projected $9 million cap hit in 2024. According to Spotrac, his market worth on an extension is $64.7 million over a new three-year contract; but, that amount might at least fluctuate over the course of the following year.
The only thing left to determine is if Philadelphia would be open to such a move. Behind starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Eagles only have Tanner McKee, a 2023 sixth-round pick, on the roster, according to ESPN. At the most crucial position in the game, McKee is, at best, a flimsy insurance policy, especially for a team hoping to make it to the Super Bowl.
Fields’ decreased trade value since the start of free agency may make a straight-up trade for Josh Sweat unappealing to the Eagles. But if the Bears include a late-round pick in addition to Fields, that could be sufficient to grease the wheels of a deal.Changing Fields for Sweat is a straightforward fix for many of Chicago’s issues.
The Bears’ first priority is to get real value for the quarterback, which will be challenging given how many teams that could compete for him have already committed to long-term starters or backup quarterbacks in free agency. Fields’ value is further hurt by the possibility that there could be six first-round quarterbacks in the 2017 draft class.
It’s likely that Chicago will take Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall and utilize the No. 9 pick to address one of three positions: edge rusher, wide receiver, or left tackle. The Bears were expecting Fields to be worth a pick in the second round, probably to cover one of those three spots if they choose not to use the No. 9 pick.
That is achieved by extending Josh Sweat and trading for him. As of Wednesday, the Bears had $56.3 million in salary space, so it makes sense to absorb the defensive end’s projected $9 million cap hit in 2024. According to Spotrac, his market worth on an extension is $64.7 million over a new three-year contract; but, that amount might at least fluctuate over the course of the following year.
The only thing left to determine is if Philadelphia would be open to such a move. Behind starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Eagles only have Tanner McKee, a 2023 sixth-round pick, on the roster, according to ESPN. At the most crucial position in the game, McKee is, at best, a flimsy insurance policy, especially for a team hoping to make it to the Super Bowl.
Fields’ decreased trade value since the start of free agency may make a straight-up trade for Josh Sweat unappealing to the Eagles. But if the Bears include a late-round pick in addition to Fields, that could be sufficient to grease the wheels of a deal.
