The Chicago Bears reshaped their defensive line Tuesday, activating Shemar Turner off the reserve/physically unable to perform list and placing Montez Sweat on the reserve/suspended by commissioner list, the club announced.
Sweat drew a two-game suspension without pay for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, as reported by Brad Biggs and Charean Williams. He will miss Sunday’s game at the Atlanta Falcons and next Thursday’s home game against the New England Patriots, and he is eligible for reinstatement on October 23.
Turner fills the roster spot
Turner’s activation uses the roster opening created by Sweat’s suspension. The 2025 second-round pick tore the ACL in his right knee last season and returned to practice on September 23. His 21-day practice window was set to expire Wednesday, so the club had to decide whether to add him before that deadline.
In five games as a rookie, Turner recorded six tackles, including two for loss. He had moved from defensive tackle toward defensive end late last season, and he now joins Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, James Lynch, Daniel Hardy and Jamree Kromah in the Bears’ edge and interior rotation.
What it means for Week 6
Chicago is 3-2 after a 31-7 loss at Green Bay and travels to Atlanta on Sunday. Odeyingbo left that Packers game with a quad injury and was listed as doubtful to return that afternoon, so the Bears’ pass rush depth is thinner with Sweat unavailable for two weeks.
Head coach Ben Johnson leads Chicago into the Falcons matchup still sorting availability along the defensive front. The WhyNFL Bears hub tracks the club’s transactions; Turner’s move off PUP is the corresponding roster answer for Weeks 6 and 7.
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