Bears’ Montez Sweat loses contract guarantees after costly PED suspension

Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat 's two-game suspension for violating the NFL 's performance-enhancing substances policy costs him far more than two game checks, because it wipes out every remaining guarantee on his contract.

Sweat forfeits $2.3 million of his 2026 salary while he serves the unpaid suspension . The $12.7 million left on his 2026 salary is now unsecured, and he's due a non-guaranteed $21 million in 2027.

Chicago Bears defensive lineman Montez Sweat (98) during warmups before the game against the New York Jets | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

The NFL announced the unpaid ban Tuesday without identifying the substance involved. Sweat, 30, is in the third year of the four-year, $98 million extension he signed days after Chicago acquired him from the Washington Commanders at the 2023 trade deadline.

Losing those guarantees hands general manager Ryan Poles leverage he didn't hold a week ago. Chicago now owes the 6-foot-6 pass rusher nothing beyond the game checks he collects this season, and the $21 million due in 2027 becomes a decision built entirely on how he plays over the final 10 games.

Sweat's production through five games doesn't help his case. He has two sacks, four quarterback hits and seven tackles while playing 69% of Chicago's defensive snaps.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson set a much higher bar for the Mississippi State product in June. "I would argue it was the best year of his career . Whether that showed up statistically or not, that's debatable," Johnson said of Sweat's 2025 season.

Green Bay Packers guard Laken Tomlinson (72) blocks Chicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker (94) | Tork Mason/Green Bay Press-Gazette

The suspension lands two days after a 31-7 loss at Green Bay dropped the Bears to 3-2 in their third straight game without injured starting quarterback Caleb Williams. Defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo left that game in the first half with a quad injury, and Johnson didn't have an update on him Monday.

Chicago activated 2025 second-round pick Shemar Turner off the physically unable to perform list Tuesday, and he takes Sweat's spot on the 53-man roster. Still, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen tempered expectations for players returning from that list last week.

"I think with any of these guys that are coming off the PUP list, to think that any of them would be ready to go in there and play 50, 60, 70 plays in a game, I think that would be unrealistic to think," Allen said.

That leaves third-year edge rusher Austin Booker as the likeliest candidate for a heavier workload when the Bears visit the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Sweat also misses Patriots at Bears on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 8:15 p.m. ET. He's eligible for reinstatement Oct. 23, which sets up his return for Bears at Seahawks on Monday Night Football on Nov. 2 at 8:15 p.m. ET.

Chicago then plays the Buccaneers at Bears on Nov. 8 before its Week 10 bye. The 10 games Sweat plays after the suspension will decide whether the Bears keep him on the books at $21 million in 2027.