Montez Sweat trade grades: Who won the Bears – Commanders deal?

From the Commanders’ and owner Josh Harris’s perspective, this was inevitable.

There was no feasible way Washington could afford to hand out monster contracts to four separate defensive linemen (Sweat, Young, Payne, and Allen). In a salary-capped league, that is not how you construct a balanced roster capable of competing for deep playoff runs year in and year out. Not to mention that Washington arguably possessing the NFL’s deepest and most talented defensive line didn’t amount to much success for the organization anyway. It’s a credit to general manager Martin Mayhew for finding excellent value in a dynamite player he was likely not going to re-sign.

An interesting question now lies ahead for Mayhew and friends. Unless he’s also dealt at the deadline (unlikely), this means the Commanders will probably roll with Young, their former No. 2 overall pick. Provided Young stays healthy moving forward — no sure thing after the murky start of his career — they likely made the right choice. Theoretically, Young is a more explosive talent with a higher ceiling at his best. In 2023, his return to full-time action, Young has already displayed the game-breaking ability everyone thought he’d show off when Washington drafted him in 2020. But again, he has to stay healthy.

Furthermore, the Commanders still have significant issues up and down their roster. Letting Sweat go leaves them with more financial flexibility to do things like bolster their offensive line and perhaps even address a shaky secondary. By that metric, this was a prudent decision and trade to make — and it still might leave Young on the outside looking in.

For now, the Commanders have recouped a (likely) high second-round selection for a piece they had no intention of re-signing. That is a slam dunk in my book.

Grade: A