The Bears’ defense took another hit Monday, and this one lands at the worst possible time. Montez Sweat has been suspended for two games without pay for violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy, leaving Chicago short-handed after a 31-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 5.
Multiple Bears reporters relayed the NFL’s statement on the suspension, and the league made the punishment plain: “Montez Sweat of the Chicago Bears is suspended for the club’s next two games without pay for violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy.”
It’s a brutal blow for a defense that can’t afford to lose impact players right now. Sweat has played five games this season and put up 13 pressures, nine hurries, seven tackles, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, and two sacks.
Pro Football Focus has him at a 55.9 overall grade, which ranks 81st among 106 eligible edge rushers. His pass-rush grade is 57.4, good for 78th, and his run-defense grade is 56.0, also 78th.
The timing makes this sting even more. Before the season, Bears head coach Ben Johnson said Sweat had the best season of his career, and Chicago suddenly has to move forward without him for matchups against the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots.
The concern deepens because Dayo Odeyingbo was hurt in the Packers game, and his status remains unknown. If he’s unable to go, the Bears could be leaning heavily on Austin Booker to carry the edge-rushing load.
Booker is at least coming off his best game of the 2026 season. He recorded two sacks on back-to-back plays before halftime against Green Bay, and his four sacks lead the Bears.
That puts even more pressure on a defense that was already exposed. Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Malik Muhammad all struggled in the secondary against the Packers, giving up multiple plays of 40 yards or more. If the pass rush doesn’t get home, Chicago may be asking too much of a back end that just got overwhelmed.
Dennis Allen now has to piece together a plan that can manufacture pressure and create chances for Booker to work off the line. With Sweat out and Odeyingbo uncertain, the Bears are heading into a difficult stretch with very little margin for error on defense.
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