Bears WR Alshon Jeffery earns four-game suspension for PED violation

As if things couldn’t get worse for the Chicago Bears, whose quarterback proved precisely why the franchise is prepared to give up on him after a 36-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, the team announced a four-game PED suspension for Pro Bowl wide receiver Alshon Jeffery on Monday.

This marks Jeffery’s first suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. And Bears coach John Fox isn’t happy about it, at least according to the team’s official Twitter account.

The Bears, who fell to 2-7 and remained at the bottom of the NFC North standings over the weekend, will be without Jeffery for games against the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions through Dec. 11. He is eligible return against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 18.

In the meantime, Jeffery’s absence is a major blow to a team that already ranks second-to-last in scoring offense. His 630 yards and 15.8 yards per catch on 40 receptions both lead the team in 2016.