The Chicago Bears activated defensive lineman Shemar Turner from the reserve/physically unable to perform list on Tuesday, returning the second-year player to the active roster as he continues his recovery from a major knee injury.
Turner tore his ACL in Week 8 of the 2025 season during a loss to the Baltimore Ravens, an injury that limited him to five games as a rookie.
In those appearances, he recorded six total tackles, including two for loss, before spending the remainder of the year on injured reserve.
The Bears placed him on the PUP list to open the 2026 campaign, and he has not yet played a regular-season snap this year.
After the team opened his practice window in late September, Turner progressed through the required evaluations, and the club activated him just before his window was set to close.
A three-year starter at Texas A&M, Turner earned freshman All-SEC recognition and second-team All-SEC honors after his junior season in 2023.
Across 43 college games, he totaled 115 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, three forced fumbles, one pass deflection and two blocked kicks.
The Bears selected him with the 62nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and signed him to a four-year contract worth roughly $7.2 million that included a signing bonus of nearly $1.9 million.
The move coincides with a two-game suspension handed to veteran defensive end Montez Sweat for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Sweat, who has seven tackles and two sacks through the first five games, will miss Sunday’s road contest against the Atlanta Falcons and the following Thursday night game against the New England Patriots.
He is eligible for reinstatement on October 23. Turner is expected to fill the roster spot created by the suspension, giving the Bears an additional body along a defensive front that has already dealt with other absences.
Chicago enters the weekend at 3-2 after a 31-7 defeat at Green Bay and will look to rebound in Atlanta.
While Turner’s return provides depth and a younger option capable of contributing in the rotation, his workload is likely to be managed carefully given the length of his rehabilitation.
For a defense seeking consistent pressure, the presence of the former Aggie offers a welcome reinforcement as the Bears navigate the middle portion of the schedule.
