If a rough outing in Week 5 wasn't bad enough, the Chicago Bears' defense was dealt another blow with Tuesday's news that defensive end Montez Sweat will be suspended for the next two games due to a violation of the NFL's performance-enhancing substances policy.
The silver lining, if there is one, is that the Bears' next two games fall in a short window. After Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons, the Bears will face the New England Patriots in a Thursday night game to open Week 7.
Given the nature of the announcement, being a first-time offender, and the length of the suspension, as noted by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Sweat likely tested positive for a stimulant, diuretic, or masking agent.
So Sweat will lose his next two game checks, totaling roughly $2.3 million. But that's not the end of the financial consequences for him.
According to Spotrac, as is the case with any suspension, the remaining $12.7 million of Sweat's 2026 salary is no longer guaranteed. The $21 million total he is slated to make in 2027, via a $18.9 million base salary, a $2 million roster bonus, and a $100,000 workout bonus, was never fully guaranteed and remains that way.
Suspension fortifies doubt about Montez Sweat's future in Chicago
After what Bears head coach Ben Johnson called the best season of his career in 2025, that version of Sweat has not existed so far this season. Entering Week 6, his overall Pro Football Focus grade is 81st out of 106 qualifying edge rushers, as he's been equally ineffective as a pass rusher and run defender by PFF grade and the eye test.
David Haugh of 104.3 The Score had already called out Sweat's lack of performance over the last couple of games, and the sentiment only grew in the wake of the suspension. Haugh generally expects more from Sweat in terms of playing time and production, especially relative to what he's being paid, and feels he has never fully delivered it since becoming a Bear.
.@DavidHaugh on Bears defensive end Montez Sweat’s suspension: "If he’s going to be sitting out the next two games, how will you tell? Because it seems like he took off the last two games. He’s been rather invisible." pic.twitter.com/2oZ6qmFTHy
— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) October 14, 2026
As previously noted, none of Sweat's 2027 compensation that's not prorated signing bonus for salary cap purposes is guaranteed. This means the Bears can cut him next offseason and create $21 million in cap space.
Read more: Patience needs to remain a virtue for Colston Loveland fantasy managers
If Sweat's lackluster performance continues after he returns from his suspension, the decision to cut him in March will be an absolute no-brainer. Even if he plays better than he has up to this point upon his return, cutting him to create that kind of reinvestable cap space might still be a no-brainer.
Add us as a preferred source on Google