The Chicago Bears made a shocking NFL trade deadline move by dealing for Washington Commanders' star pass rusher Montez Sweat.

“Trade: Commanders and Bears have agreed to a trade that is expected to send DE Montez Sweat to the Chicago for a 2024 second-round pick, per sources,” ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday. “Sweat is in the last year of his contract, and the Commanders are opting for a draft pick now. Chicago beefs up its line.”

Montez Sweat heads to Bears

Montez Sweat was a first-round pick of the Commanders in the 2019 NFL Draft and has spent his entire five-season career with the team. He has 35.5 career sacks and 6.5 this season.

On the Commanders' side of the Montez Sweat trade, a move like this isn't a surprise. Washington is 3-5 on the season, which puts them pretty much out of contention in the NFC East and close to out of the Wild Card mix as well. The team's defense has underperformed as a unit this season, and with new ownership in place, it looks like a complete rebuild is on its way this offseason.

For the Bears, this is a much bigger surprise.

Chicago is just 2-6 this season, which puts them even further out of the playoff race. And with two first-round picks (theirs and the Carolina Panthers' selections) in next year's draft, being sellers at the NFL trade deadline seemed like the more likely option. That said, Sweat is a top pass rusher, and at just 27, he can fit into his new franchise's long-term plans.

This Montez Sweat trade will make a lot more sense if the Bears lock the pass-rusher up with a contract extension in the near future.