Why were the Bears' highest-paid defensive players sidelined at key times in loss to Lions?

With the game on the line, Bears top defenders Montez Sweat and Tremaine Edmunds disappeared.

Edmunds, the team's highest-paid linebacker, quite literally was not on the field. Sweat, the team's highest-paid pass rusher, stepped off the field for three plays on Detroit's 11-play, game-winning touchdown drive.

The Lions drove 73 yards on 11 plays in 2:04 of game time. Trailing by 5 points, they moved the length of the field and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run from running back David Montgomery. Edmunds, who made his return after missing two games with a knee injury, did not enter the game on that possession. All in all, Edmunds played 41 of 62 defensive snaps (66%) in Sunday's game.

His 11-play absence on the deciding drive was notable. Linebacker Jack Sanborn was on the field for the entire drive next to regular starter T.J. Edwards.

"So for [Edmunds], he was on a pitch count," Bears coach Matt Eberflus said Wednesday at Halas Hall. "We're working through [it with] him. I commend him. He worked out before the game, and then the trainers came to us and said, 'Hey, we need to have him rotate with [Sanborn].' And then we just did that, and that was the rotation."

Edmunds injured his knee on Oct. 29 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He did not play against New Orleans or Carolina. He returned to practice on Friday ahead of the Lions game.

This is a player the Bears gave a four-year, $72 million free-agent contract in March. Edmunds was on the field for the previous possession, when the Lions scored to cut it to a one-possession game.

"Whatever was my role on Sunday, I just wanted to help my team the best I can," Edmunds said. "Unselfishly, I just wanted to be out there and contribute, no matter what it looked like. That was very important to me just to be out there with the guys. Get my feet wet again and just to move around."

Eberflus said Edmunds didn't reaggravate his knee injury during the game. Eberflus said the Bears felt "great" about having Sanborn in the game in that situation.

"We're dealing with human beings, and they're coming off of injury and their endurance sometimes isn't where it needs to be," Eberflus said. "They need to get back in game shape, so to speak. You have to have that balance. You've got to meet with our performance staff, our training staff. They do an excellent job of getting guys back. We've just got to listen to their feedback."

Sweat's absence wasn't as lengthy, but he exited the game midway through that possession. The Lions went with their hurry-up offense, which didn't allow the Bears to substitute Sweat back into the game. Sweat missed three plays. Montgomery picked up 9 yards on a short pass up the middle and 10 yards on a carry up the middle. Then Amon-Ra St. Brown picked up 8 yards on a pass from quarterback Jared Goff.

At that point the Lions used a timeout, which allowed Sweat to re-enter the game. For the game Sweat played 39 of 62 defensive snaps (63%). Eberflus said Sweat came off the field because he needed a breather.

Eberflus is going to trust his players in that situation.

"These are pro athletes and they've played a lot of football," Eberflus said. "So you leave it [up] to him. When he's exhausted and needs to take a play or two, you let him, then get back in there as fast as you can. When there's a stoppage in play, get back in there. I think that's always been best practice."

The Bears traded a 2024 second-round draft pick to the Washington Commanders in exchange for Sweat at the Oct. 31 trade deadline. Days later, general manager Ryan Poles signed Sweat to a four-year, $98 million contract extension. The deal made Sweat the fifth-highest paid pass rusher in the NFL, according to annual salary.

Sweat did return to the field for the final couple plays, including Montgomery's 1-yard touchdown run. Of his three games as a member of the Bears, the Lions game marked the fewest snaps Sweat has played, though it was only two snaps fewer than his Bears debut.

"Generally, I want to be there every play, but the body and the heart doesn't really work like that," Sweat said. "As much fresh as I can be out there, that's what I want to do."

Injury notes:

Because they play on "Monday Night Football" in Week 12, the Bears were not required to release an injury report Wednesday.

During the portion of practice that was open to members of the media Wednesday, running back D'Onta Foreman (ankle), center Lucas Patrick (back), linebacker Noah Sewell (knee) and fullback Khari Blasingame (unknown) did not appear to be participating in practice.