Windy City Gridiron
Chicago Bears second-year defensive end Austin Booker had himself a nice day against the Miami Dolphins with six total tackles, three tackles for loss, three sacks, four QB hits, and a forced fumble. In four games during his 2024 preseason, he totaled nine tackles, 2.5 sacks, two TFLs, and 4 QB hits, so it was a nice showcase of his improvement to the new coaching staff.
“I think he was a factor the entire game,” head coach Ben Johnson said about Booker in his post-game press conference. He added by calling Booker a “menace“ after his big preseason week one performance.
Booker flashed with his hustle and athleticism as a rookie, so with a wider variety of moves and a more cohesive pass rush plan, Booker will be ready for a bigger role in 2025.
His first sack came in the second quarter off a Miami play action. He came down the line keeping the play in front of him, then beat tight end Pharaoh Brown, who came over to pick up the backside protection.
On sack number two, Booker used a quick spin move to the inside gap to beat former Bear Germain Ifedi, who was lined up at left tackle.
His third sack was the most impressive as it not only featured a forced fumble, which Chicago’s Power Echols recovered, but he also bullied Miami’s left tackle, Kion Smith.
The Bears traded into the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to take Booker, who was a redshirt sophomore, and he was the youngest player on the team as a rookie. He doesn’t turn 23 until December, making him the fifth youngest player on the 2025 team, so there’s plenty of good football in front of him.
