Bears HC Matt Eberflus provides confusing response on Montez Sweat’s usage

Matt Eberflus’ press conferences this year have certainly been must-watch television at times, and Monday’s was no different.

The Bears head coach was asked why pass rusher Montez Sweat has not been utilized more since being acquired in advance of the league’s trade deadline last month.

“You just got to platoon them and get them in there fresh,” Eberflus told reporters. “And when those lead dogs are fresh, you put them back in. You just got to do that because those guys are throwing their fastball every time. Sweat’s one of our best players, he really is and that’s just how we do it. We platoon our guys and keep them fresh that way. That’s how we do it.”

Since coming over from Washington — and being signed to a massive four-year contract extension to remain in Chicago — Sweat has played in just 67 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, down from the 69 percent he played in Washington.

Matt Eberflus when asked if Montez Sweat should play more snaps (39/62 snaps – 63%), whereas Aidan Hutchinson played 92% of snaps had this to say:

“That’s just how we do it, we platoon those guys.”

Uhhhhh, WHAT? If you’re gonna go strictly rotation, you don’t trade for & pay…

— Harrison Graham (@HGrahamNFL) November 20, 2023

The Bears’ defense did not see much time on the field on Sunday in general, but Sweat only played in 39 snaps, or 63 percent of the total.

Sweat picked up his first sack in a Bears uniform and finished the day with two total tackles. However, for a team that lacked any sort of pass rush prior to the acquisition, Sweat’s usage, or lack thereof, is bewildering, to say the least.

You don’t give up a second-round pick and sign a guy to a multi-million dollar contract extension only for him to play a rotational role.

Look at some of the notable pass rushers around the league. Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, Dallas’s Micah Parsons, and San Francisco’s Nick Bosa are all playing in roughly 80 percent of the defensive snaps.

Sweat’s usage is the latest head scratcher that signals a coaching change is badly needed at the conclusion of the regular season.