Forward Progress: No Rush to Pass Judgment on Sweat

Podcast: Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbaticola (312 Sports)
Date: September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode zeroes in on the Chicago Bears’ troubling 0-2 start to the 2025 NFL season, with hosts Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbaticola scrutinizing the underwhelming impact of Montez Sweat, now the team's highest-paid player. The discussion spirals out to address broader concerns about defensive struggles, team conditioning, practice culture, coaching, and the persistent anxieties permeating Bears fandom. They blend sharp analysis with palpable frustration, invoking the legacy of the 85 Bears while expressing exasperation over the team's leadership and direction.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Bears’ Defensive Malaise and Anger of 85 Bears (00:16–01:26)

• The season’s poor defensive showing is evoking rage likened to awakening the legendary 1985 Bears.
• Bernstein and Abbaticola set a tone of long-standing exasperation and high expectations for defensive toughness and accountability.
  • “They have stirred the ancient beast that is the anger of the 85 Bears somewhere buried deep under a glacier…” (00:36 – Dan)

2. Montez Sweat: High Price, Low Impact (01:26–07:43)

• Sweat’s $25M cap hit (the highest on the team and 4th among all EDGE rushers league-wide) is contrasted sharply with his low-impact performances.
• Initial optimism about Sweat has faded, as he’s failed to generate sacks, pressure, or game-changing plays—even when double-teamed:
  • “He has barely registered an impact at all.” (01:57 – Dan)
• Double-teams are considered the bare minimum challenge for an elite rusher, not an excuse:
  • “A double team is not an excuse. Taking up a double team is the bare minimum of a successful pass rusher, let alone an elite passer.” (03:44 – Dan)
• The high contract is scrutinized; the consensus is the Bears paid for the hope of future production, not for an established pass rusher.
  • “He is not an elite pass rusher. He's not. He never has been.” (03:42 – Matt)

3. Comparison to Other Sports and Players (04:40–07:43)

• If Sweat’s performance were mirrored by the highest-paid players in other sports (basketball/baseball), the criticism would be relentless.
• Bears fans and media, curiously, have not kept Sweat in the critical crosshairs as might be expected.
  • “The highest paid player on the team is an afterthought in both his play and the criticism of his play. That’s weird.” (07:15 – Dan)

4. Salary Cap Reality and Roster Standouts (07:43–10:40)

• A rundown of Bears’ highest cap hits: Sweat, DJ Moore, Tremaine Edmunds, Jonah Jackson, etc.
• With Jalen Johnson out (groin injury), the question arises: who is now the Bears’ best player relative to NFL peers? No clear answer.
  • “If he's out, the fact that we can't immediately identify who's next... That we're not saying the three guys at the top... That's weird.” (10:40 – Dan)

5. Accountability of Ryan Poles and Bears Leadership (10:58–12:49)

• Frustration with GM Ryan Poles' roster-building and contract decisions is palpable. Yet, his long extension (through 2029) makes any hope for change seem moot.
  • “He’s the general manager through... currently through the 2029 season.” (12:02 – Matt)
• Listeners’ demands to discuss ownership and the McCaskeys lead to further skepticism—the mechanism of their accountability isn't clear.

6. Evaluating the Decision to Trade and Extend Sweat (12:49–15:11)

• Both hosts thought adding Sweat was a reasonable move but question making him the highest-paid Bear.
  • "A good player that's going to help improve your defense. That necessarily doesn't mean that he had to be the highest paid player on your team." (13:30 – Matt)
• The idea of paying for future vs. past performance is commended in theory, but the practice appears flawed given his ceiling.

7. Bears’ Flawed Pass Rush Philosophy (15:37–18:22)

• The team’s “throw money at the problem” approach—rather than developing pass rushers—has left them with an underwhelming rotation and no true elite threat.
• Bernstein laments failed efforts with past draft picks and free agents compared to the steady veteran productivity of ex-Bears like Leonard Floyd.

8. Sweat’s Cap Hit vs. Peers: Numbers Don’t Lie (16:28–18:22)

• Bears fans should note that, by pay, Montez Sweat sits among the NFL’s top edge rushers—yet isn’t producing near their level.
  • “There are four players making over 25 million in a cap hit this year. Montez Sweat is on that list.” (17:52 – Matt)

9. Ben Johnson’s Comments and Scheme Fit (18:22–23:51)

• New head coach Ben Johnson acknowledges Sweat’s effort but calls out his lack of winning one-on-one matchups, per Courtney Cronin’s question.
  • “He’s brought substantial effort... it's that he's basically, he's not winning the one on one battles that he needs to...” (18:22 – Matt, quoting Johnson)
• Discussion of defensive schemes: Is Sweat best suited to “classic” upfield gap attack, as in the Tampa 2? Current defensive demands may not match his strengths.
  • “This is where individual ability and coaching can meet.” (19:20 – Dan)
• The hosts suggest the coaching staff should adapt more, taking cues from how the Raiders maximize Max Crosby.

10. Practice Culture, Conditioning, and Accountability (24:37–29:49)

• Johnson claims the team isn’t executing their “brand of football” seen in camp; hosts wonder whether camp was too easy or the offense too ineffective (“getting to know the players” is labeled a lazy excuse).
  • “It's bullshit. There's too much money involved in this business that in two weeks... we're still getting to know who our players are.” (28:51 – Matt)
• Conditioning becomes a point of emphasis: is the defense flagging because of poor cardiovascular prep or overexertion in games?

11. Calling Out Effort and Leadership Through the Media (32:41–41:47)

• Johnson's remarks about wanting to “see who practices hard” are considered a damning indictment of the entire practice culture.
  • “We’re going to find out this week at practice who wants to practice hard, who wants to be involved more…” (40:12 – quoted by Matt)
• The vagueness of Johnson’s statements—whether he refers to rookies, specific positions, or the entire team—sparks confusion and further concerns about clarity and accountability.

12. Offensive Execution and Coaching Details (34:40–38:09)

• Lack of full-speed routes when players know they’re not getting the ball is called out as “absolute complete horseshit”:
  • “That's the kind of stuff you teach at the youth level.” (35:26 – Matt)
• Bernstein highlights that at the pro level, such lapses typically surface only late in lost seasons or from players who are tired, pouting, or unconditioned.

13. Leadership Styles: Practice Habits and Positional Meetings (38:17–42:08)

• The importance of coaching attention to detail is underscored—calling out lack of effort in practice, demanding “run it again” when routes are not crisp.
  • “That's what attention to detail is in a practice. You stop it because you see it and you say, run it again. That's unacceptable.” (39:57 – Dan)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Montez Sweat’s Impact:
  “He has barely registered an impact at all.” (01:57 – Dan Bernstein)

• On Pass Rusher Accountability:
  “A double team is not an excuse. Taking up a double team is the bare minimum of a successful pass rusher, let alone an elite passer.” (03:44 – Dan Bernstein)

• On Cap Hit vs. Production in Other Sports:
  “If the highest paid player on an MLB team were this ineffective, healthy and this ineffective... it would be a constant drumbeat of criticism.” (04:40 – Dan Bernstein)

• On Practice Culture:
  “We’re going to find out this week at practice who wants to practice hard, who wants to be involved more with the game plan going into Sunday.” (40:11 – Ben Johnson, quoted by Matt)

• On Coaching Excuses:
  “It's bullshit. There's too much money involved in this business that in two weeks... we're still getting to know who our players are.” (28:51 – Matt Abbaticola)

• On Defensive Problems:
  “The Bears clearly need more defense if they want to hang with the heavyweights in the NFC. The verdict on the Bears: panic now.” (51:58 – NFL.com, summarized by Matt)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening; Reference to 85 Bears: 00:16–01:26
• Montez Sweat’s Ineffectiveness & Critique: 01:26–07:43
• Cap Hits and Roster Standouts: 07:43–10:40
• GM Ryan Poles & Ownership Accountability: 10:58–12:49
• Sweat’s Contract and Trade Evaluation: 12:49–15:11
• Failed Pass Rush Philosophy & Roster Construction: 15:37–18:22
• Head Coach Ben Johnson on Sweat’s Performance: 18:22–21:38
• Defensive Scheme Fit for Sweat: 21:38–23:51
• Practice, Conditioning & Excuses: 24:37–29:49
• Effort, Motivation, and Accountability: 32:41–41:47
• Offensive Execution and Route Running: 34:40–38:09
• Attention to Detail in Practice: 38:17–42:08
• External Media Assessment: “Panic Now”: 51:58–53:07

Tone and Language

Bernstein and Abbaticola speak with the frustration and skepticism of long-time Chicago sports observers. They mix dry wit ("That's complete bullshit"), football-savvy nuance, and emotional investment. The show resists easy scapegoating but offers sharp, specific critique.

Takeaway

This episode is a masterclass in tough-love Bears fandom—dissecting the disappointing debut of Montez Sweat, questioning Bears' accountability at every level, and calling for more clarity, effort, and honesty from coaches, staff, and players alike. For fans and critics, patience is clearly running thin. The consensus? It's time for panic—unless something changes, and soon.