​The Chicago Bears didn’t make a splash at defensive end this offseason; instead, they are counting on third-year pro Austin Booker to be the key complement to Montez Sweat. Sweat is a solid football player, having earned a Pro Bowl nod a few seasons ago, and his head coach believes he’s coming off his best year to date. Still, Chicago needs more than just Sweat rushing off the edge in 2026. They’re counting on Booker to grow into a consistent and reliable threat, which is why he sits atop my list as the team’s most important defensive player this year.
“He’s just scratching the surface,” Sweat said about Booker last month. “I think he’s shown a lot of flashes of the type of player he could be. He’s still young and still learning the ins and outs of being a pro, but the sky’s the limit.”
Booker began last season on injured reserve after a highly productive preseason and didn’t see action until November. In ten regular-season games and two playoff appearances, he totaled 44 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 14 quarterback hits, 3 passes defended, and a forced fumble. The Bears also welcome Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner back from injury this season, but Booker’s return is the source of the most buzz.
In March, after the free agency rush, the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs discussed Booker and suggested he might be why the Bears didn’t add an EDGE in free agency. “If Austin Booker can pick up where he left off at the end of last season, that’s one way for the Bears to be better rushing the passer,” Biggs wrote. “We saw him playing at a pretty high level for a little less than half a season. If Booker is healthy and can make a jump from year 2 to year 3, like he did from his rookie season to 2025, they’ll have an interesting player. Is that a lock to happen? Of course not. But I believe the Bears are optimistic about his career arc.”
Booker has added bulk this offseason and has focused on refining his technique to place himself in the best possible position. “I’m excited about Book,” Bears defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett said in May. “The one thing we looked at is as simple as this: the consistency of his stance and explosion off the ball is making him more efficient and more fluid. I’ve been excited—these couple of weeks working with him, he’s doing a really good job of exploding off the ball and taking the fight to them.”
He’s stronger, quicker, and equipped with a broader pass-rush toolbox, positioning him for a significant leap in 2026. The path to a stronger pass rush starts with Booker’s development and continued improvement, and Chicago will be watching closely as the season unfolds. If Booker can translate his flashes into steady production, the Bears could pair a ramped-up edge presence with Sweat’s established ability, creating a much more dynamic pass-rushing duo. Describing Booker’s growth is less about hype and more about opportunity—an opportunity he’s eager to seize in 2026.