Bears' Montez Sweat Suspended for Next Two Games for Violating NFL Policy

The Bears will need the rest of their defensive line to pick up the slack against the Falcons and Patriots.

Chicago Bears DE Montez Sweat after a preseason game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The NFL announced on Tuesday that it will be suspending Chicago Bears defensive end and one-time Pro Bowler Montez Sweat without pay for the Bears' next two games, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. Sweat was found to be in violation of the NFL's Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy, the NFL alleges.

This unfortunate development leaves Chicago's defense in dire straits ahead of a pivotal Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. The Bears are coming off arguably their worst performance of the season in a disastrous loss to the Green Bay Packers and badly need a win to get some momentum back on their side. Now, however, they'll have to find a way to do it without one of their defensive leaders.

The Bears have options, but no sure things to replace Montez Sweat

Chicago Bears DE Montez Sweat reacts with teammates after a defensive play. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sweat started the season strong for the Bears, getting two sacks in the first three weeks. But he hasn't earned a sack since then, and his 73.1 impact grade from Pro Football Network falls below the league average of 75.0. Nevertheless, he remained an impactful defender for Chicago and his absence will be sorely felt on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons and next Thursday against the New England Patriots.

As a silver lining, third year defensive end Austin Booker appears to be coming into his own as a capable pass rusher. According to Bears reporter Herb Howard, Booker had expressed frustration with his limited role on the team through the first four weeks of the season. In Week 5, however, Booker saw an increased role and racked up two sacks, his first multi-sack game in his NFL career.

However, that's a small consolation for the Bears who badly need a strong defensive showing. The Falcons have made mincemeat of opposing defenses this year, thanks specifically to an electric season from running back Bijan Robinson. The Bears would have a hard enough time stopping him as it is. Without Sweat, however, a difficult task becomes monumentally hard.

The Bottom Line

Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love looks to pass over Montez Sweat at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There's no way to sugar-coat this loss for the Bears. They've just lost a captain and leader of their defense at a time when their entire season appears to be hanging in the balance. Their only hope is that Caleb Williams can return from injury for Week 6 and lead a high-octane offense that puts up points in bunches. They'll also be hoping that Booker can have another career game.

If Booker continues his upward trend, he may even push the Bears into making a hard decision regarding Sweat's future with the team. Sweat signed a four-year extension with the Bears shortly after they acquired him from the Washington Commanders in a deal at the 2023 trade deadline, and the 2027 season will be the final year of that deal. If the Bears feel that Booker has supplanted Sweat's role, they could save $21 million worth of cap space by releasing him.

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