Chicago Bears defensive lineman Shemar Turner is finally back and ready to make his 2026 debut after recovering from last year's ACL injury, and he'll be desperately needed.
Turner's return comes at a key time, with so many defensive players out for the Bears in Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons. The biggest name is Montez Sweat, who is suspended for two games for violating the NFL's PED policy. They likely won't have Dayo Odeyingbo, who is dealing with a quad injury.
The Bears just activated Turner to the 53-man roster, which makes him eligible to play for the first time in 2026. With the injuries and Sweat's suspension, Turner is going from getting a few snaps in his young NFL career to possibly becoming the team's most important player in Week 6.
Shemar Turner needs to have a great season debut with the Bears
Chicago saw little from Turner in his rookie season last year after the team selected him with a second-round pick. He recorded only six tackles and two tackles for loss in five games. The Bears' Week 8 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in 2025 ended Turner's season with an ACL injury, and he has been kept off the field since.
Turner had a chance to talk to reporters after practice on Thursday. He shared his excitement about being back on the field, along with some nerves.
"Definitely exciting, definitely nerve-building," Turner said. "Definitely more exciting than nerves. Coming from not playing, this is gonna be a testament to everything I've been through these last few months. I think that's pretty much all."
The Bears need Turner to be the pass-rushing defender they saw in college before he was drafted. Chicago lost two of their top three pass rushers on the team.
Austin Booker is the next man up for the Bears as the top pass rusher. He leads the team in sacks on the season with four.
Chicago has actually been good at rushing the passer and has played much better than they did last year. The problem is that they have lost five sacks between Sweat and Odeyingbo.
That's where Turner is going to have to step in and be the guy the team needs. He has shown good potential in being able to pressure the quarterback, but that has to be more apparent in the NFL.
It took Booker three years to get to where he is right now. The Bears can't afford to wait too long for Turner to get it done. He doesn't need to get a sack, but Turner has to prove that he can create pressures.
Read more: Bears need Malik Muhammad to save the secondary from embarrassment vs. Falcons
The Bears are in an interesting position in Week 6 against a very good Falcons team, as they could be without multiple starters on defense. Turner will see a large role on defense despite making his debut, but he has a chance to be the difference-maker this team desperately needs.
Add us as a preferred source on Google