10 Most Important Bears of 2026: #4 Austin Booker

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) is pressured by Chicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker (94) during their wild-card playoff football game Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. | Wm. Glasheen / USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears didn't do anything of significance at defensive end this offseason; instead, they are banking on third-year pro Austin Booker to provide a real complement to Montez Sweat.

Sweat is a pretty good football player. He was selected as a Pro Bowler a couple of years ago, and his head coach feels he's coming off his best season yet, but the Chicago Bears need more than just him rushing off the edge in 2026.

They need the 23-year-old Booker to develop into a consistent and reliable threat, which is why he's the most important defensive player on my list this year.

He's just scratching the surface, Sweatsaidabout Booker last month. I think he's shown a lot of flashes of the type of player that he could be. He's still young and still just learning the ins and outs of being a pro, but the sky's the limit."

Booker started last year on injured reserve after an extremely productive preseason, and he didn't play until November. But in ten regular-season games and two playoff contests, he had 44 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 14 QB hits, 3 passes defended, and a forced fumble.

#Bears DE Austin Booker in 10 games last year had more sacks than:

Abdul Carter
Travon Walker
Jermaine Johnson II
Boye Mafe

Both Walker and Mafe are making over $20M a year. The potential for Booker is palpable. pic.twitter.com/2bOGqZdvNt

- Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) May 15, 2026

The Bears also get Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner back from injury this season, but it's Booker who has the buzz around his return.

In March, following the free agency rush, the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs wrote about Booker and speculated he's the reason they didn't add an EDGE.

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 said. 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 bulked up a bit this offseason and has been working on his technique to put himself in the best position possible.

I'm excited about Book," Bears defensive line coach Jeremy Garrettsaid 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."

Booker is stronger, he's quicker, he has more in his pass-rush toolbox, and he's primed to make a big step in 2026.

Ummmmm, OK Austin Booker (#94). pic.twitter.com/9NPWvZ7Xj0

- Marcus Whitman (@TFG_Football) November 4, 2025

Austin Booker reads the down block & works flat down the LOS. He then spills the pulling blocker with the wrong arm" technique, allowing him to fill inside & help make the tackle! #StopTheRun#DaBearspic.twitter.com/HPFQkR5ivY

- DLineVids (@dlinevids1) November 19, 2025

Brock Purdy nearly died if he didn't duck at the last second pic.twitter.com/MMVp0JOnxM

- John (@iam_johnw) December 29, 2025

Austin Booker (#94) a couple of plays later in the run game. Using his long arms inside as a 3-4 DE. https://t.co/0xQLN8ItEVpic.twitter.com/YOEZ2zPwcV

- Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) June 3, 2026

Austin Booker running the hoop pic.twitter.com/M4J8Tk5Yfi

- Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) January 13, 2026