Bears rookie receives the worst possible news following Week 8 injury, putting even more pressure on the defensive front
Chicago Bears second-round pick Shemar Turner suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 loss.
The Chicago Bears have been ravaged by injuries on the defensive side of the ball throughout the first eight weeks of the 2025 season and the latest major injury coming out of Week 8’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens will add even more pressure to the unit.
Second-round rookie defensive lineman Shemar Turner left Sunday’s game with a knee injury and head coach Ben Johnson confirmed on Monday that Turner suffered a torn ACL, ending his rookie season.
Turner appeared in five games for the Bears this season as a rotational player on the interior but mixed in a little off the edge as well. The Bears traded back in the second-round of the 2025 NFL Draft to net extra picks, using one of three second round selections to draft Turner.
“He was a guy that we were really excited to get on the field because obviously we had high hopes for him acquiring him with such a high draft pick,” Johnson said of Turner. “I thought that when we made that transition to defensive end it certainly coincided with our ability to stop the run at a higher clip. We thought he was part of the solution there for us. I think he looked somewhat natural to play that spot. We were really excited to see what this next half of the season was going to look like as he continued to develop in that role. It’s a shame we are going to miss out on him.”
Defensive line depth starting to be a concern for the Bears
Turner isn’t the only defensive lineman to leave the Week 8 loss with an injury. Defensive end Dominique Robinson left the game on the opening kickoff with an ankle injury and officially suffered a high ankle sprain that could cause him to miss some action.
With these injuries stacking up, Johnson confirmed on Monday that the team will activate second-year defensive end Austin Booker off the injured reserve. Booker’s 21-day practice window was opened on Oct. 7th but the team held him out of each of the last three games despite being a full participant in practice the last three weeks.
Through six games, the Bears have struggled at times with defending against the run and consistently struggled with getting after the quarterback without extra help being added via blitzes. Suffering multiple injuries up-front won’t help by any means.
As for the loss of Turner, the pressure is going to get dialed up for veteran Grady Jarrett, who returned to action in Week 8 after missing three games due to a knee injury. Jarrett signed a three-year, $42.75 million contract as a free agent with the Bears not long after being released by the Atlanta Falcons.
In his first game back from injury, Jarrett played 33 defensive snaps totaling three tackles, one pressure, and should have been credited for half a sack. Jarrett noted after the game that he played though the injury during the first three games of the season and his durability will be something to watch following the loss of Turner.
The cornerback continues to be the area most effected by injuries for the Bears defense after losing depth cornerback Terell Smith for the season, having Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson out until late in the season, placing nickel Kyler Gordon on the injured reserve, and still having cornerback Tyrique Stevenson out day-to-day with a shoulder injury.
A series of tough blows for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s unit and we’ll see how the Bears respond when it comes to accounting for such losses.
Chicago Bears News
Ben Johnson made his stance on Caleb Williams and his progression in the offense crystal clear following loss to the Ravens
The Chicago Bears head coach made sure to defend his quarterback after Sunday’s loss.
