Reports: Montez Sweat suffered fractured jaw vs. Broncos originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

The Washington Football Team will be without one of its standout pass rushers for the foreseeable future.

Third-year veteran Montez Sweat suffered a fracture in his jaw during Washington’s Week 8 loss to Denver, according to multiple reports. Sweat is expected to miss roughly a month. 106.7 The Fan’s Grant Paulsen was first to report the news.

Sweat’s injury won’t require surgery, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. But, Sweat will not participate in any physical conduct for one month and have to alter his diet, per the report.

Washington is on bye in Week 9, but has a loaded schedule of Tampa Bay, Carolina and Seattle following its week off. If Sweat only misses one month, he’d be in line to return for Washington’s Week 13 game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 5.

Sweat has started all eight games for Washington this season and is currently second on the team in sacks with four (Jonathan Allen leads Washington with six). Sweat led Washington in sacks in 2020 with nine.

Second-year veteran James Smith-Williams is the most likely direct replacement for Sweat, but the team could shift its defensive line around to keep its four best healthy players — Allen, Chase Young, Daron Payne and Matt Ioannidis — on the field on the same time.