{"id":31764,"date":"2025-11-08T07:18:48","date_gmt":"2025-11-08T13:18:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/2025\/11\/08\/enjoy-the-show-bears-de-austin-booker-gets-his-big-chance\/"},"modified":"2025-11-08T07:18:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T13:18:49","slug":"enjoy-the-show-bears-de-austin-booker-gets-his-big-chance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/2025\/11\/08\/enjoy-the-show-bears-de-austin-booker-gets-his-big-chance\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Enjoy the show’: Bears DE Austin Booker gets his big chance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to Austin Booker’s Big Chance<\/h1>\n

For most of October, the Bears\u2019 Austin Booker was a scout-team defensive end. The NFL allows players coming off injured reserve to practice for up to three weeks before being put on the active roster. The Bears, comfortable at the time with their depth at defensive end, made Booker wait all 21 days. During that time, he worked off the rust of a preseason knee injury and occasionally spun left tackle Theo Benedet around for a sack.<\/p>\n

Booker’s Preparation<\/h2>\n

Ask Booker which opposing defender he pretended to be, and he straightens up. \u2018\u2018I feel like I was playing like Austin Booker,\u2019\u2019 he said. The Bears will find out Sunday whether that\u2019s good enough. Down two starting cornerbacks, their middle linebacker, and a starting edge rusher, the Bears need to stabilize their defense a week after allowing Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco to throw for 305 yards and three touchdowns in the second half alone.<\/p>\n

The Challenge Ahead<\/h3>\n

Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart provides a worthy, more mobile test in Booker\u2019s first start. Dart has been sacked 19 times, which is tied for eighth-most in the NFL, but also averages 31 rushing yards a game. \u2018\u2018I\u2019ve got an opportunity to show the NFL I\u2019m a four-down starter,\u2019\u2019 Booker said. Booker said he has been told throughout his career \u2014 sometimes overtly, other times with \u2018\u2018context clues\u2019\u2019 \u2014 that his ceiling was only as a situational pass rusher.<\/p>\n

Overcoming Doubts<\/h4>\n

\u2018\u2018I know it\u2019s there,\u2019\u2019 he said, \u2018\u2018and I\u2019m gonna nip it in the bud as soon as possible.\u2019\u2019 The fact that the Bears have to rely on Booker as a starting defensive end is a result of the turnover of the last two weeks. Edge rusher Dominique Robinson sprained his ankle on the opening kickoff against the Ravens and hasn\u2019t played since. Second-round pick Shemar Turner, whom the Bears had moved from tackle to end, tore an ACL later in that game. Last week against the Bengals, starter Dayo Odeyingbo tore his Achilles\u2019 tendon. Turner and Odeyingbo are out for the season.<\/p>\n

Booker’s Opportunity<\/h5>\n

When all the Bears did was add edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka as a depth piece at the trade deadline Tuesday, it opened the door for Booker\u2019s big opportunity Sunday \u2014 and for the rest of the season. When the Bears drafted Booker in the fifth round in 2024, general manager Ryan Poles thought he was probably a year away from being a significant contributor. He was right. As a rookie, Booker played 283 defensive snaps but posted only 1\u00bd sacks. He led the NFL with four sacks during the preseason before hurting his knee and missing the Bears\u2019 first seven games.<\/p>\n

Teammate Support<\/h6>\n

In practice, Booker has impressed teammates with his unusual rush style. He\u2019s stronger than he looks and wants to get tackles to play in space. He sets up his moves in unorthodox ways and doesn\u2019t predetermine which move he\u2019ll make to try to get past the tackle. That\u2019s what happened in his season debut against the Bengals, when he rushed wide right and shoved tackle Orlando Brown to the ground with his left arm. He sacked Flacco, forcing a fumble that was recovered by teammate Gervon Dexter. \u2018\u2018\u2009\u2018Book\u2019 has always been a very talented pass rusher \u2014 ever since he got here, really,\u2019\u2019 defensive end Montez Sweat said. \u2018\u2018Been waiting for him to hit the field.\u2019<\/p>\n

The Importance of Montez Sweat<\/h2>\n

For the Bears\u2019 defense to be less powerless than it was in the last two minutes against the Bengals, they need Sweat to continue the run he\u2019s on. In the last four games, he has three sacks and two forced fumbles. In the first four games, he had one sack. \u2018\u2018I think he\u2019s been performing really well for us all-around \u2014 run game, passing game,\u2019\u2019 defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. \u2018\u2018It\u2019s good to see him get the stats to go along with that. A lot of times, there\u2019s some hidden production. But that\u2019s been nice to see.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Sweat’s Improvement<\/h3>\n

Sweat has been on the field more, too, which Allen said was a combination of hard work and feeding off the team\u2019s success. Since he played 58% of the Bears\u2019 snaps in Week 3, he has played 73%, 74%, 71%, 80%, and 77% of their snaps. \u2018\u2018He\u2019s gotten a lot better,\u2019\u2019 Allen said. \u2018\u2018I think he\u2019s starting to see the results of that. I think he\u2019s feeding off that a little bit.\u2019\u2019 It reminds Poles of Sweat\u2019s first few games with the Bears after he traded for him two years ago. He had six sacks in his first five games with the team.<\/p>\n

Pacing the Pass Rush<\/h4>\n

\u2018\u2018He\u2019s made a bigger impact recently than he did early [and] certainly last year,\u2019\u2019 Poles said. Sweat\u2019s performance will be essential moving forward. The Bears are paying him to pace their pass rush, and his four-year, $98 million deal ranks eighth in the league among edge rushers. The Bears are averaging 2.1 sacks, which is tied for 20th in the NFL. Their defense can\u2019t sit back and let opposing quarterbacks take their time, the way Flacco did when the Bengals scored 15 points in the last two minutes last week.<\/p>\n

Adjustments Ahead<\/h5>\n

Four of their 17 sacks this season have come from defensive backs or linebackers. Allen will have to decide whether he wants to blitz even more often now that the Bears are thin at defensive end. \u2018\u2018We\u2019ll see how it goes,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u2018\u2018And then if we need to make some adjustments in-game, we\u2019ll make some adjustments in-game.\u2019\u2019 If Booker can be dangerous, it will be a moot point and will make the Bears\u2019 decision not to trade for a more proven edge rusher a lot more defensible. \u2018\u2018He gets his opportunity now,\u2019\u2019 Sweat said. \u2018\u2018Enjoy the show.\u2019<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The upcoming game will be a significant test for Austin Booker and the Bears’ defense. With key players injured, the team is looking to Booker to step up and prove himself as a four-down starter. The support from his teammates, particularly Montez Sweat, is crucial as they face a challenging opponent in the Giants. The Bears’ ability to adapt and make adjustments will be key to their success, and Booker’s performance will be closely watched.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n