Windy City Gridiron
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bears fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
No decision this offseason has been met with as much consternation among fans and analysts alike as the Chicago Bears’ decision to run it back with the same basic group of defensive ends as last year.
No EDGE of significance was added in free agency, and they didn’t draft one either. Part of the reasoning was the money they already spent on the position group. But also, either their draft board either didn’t have any defensive ends ranked high enough to take, or the board just didn’t fall in a way that made taking one make sense.
And then there’s the belief the coaches have in the group they currently have, which is significantly higher than what we (fans and analysts) generally think.
Here’s how the DE group shapes up.
Montez Sweat is a good football player with a Pro Bowl under his belt.
The Bears gave Dayo Odeyingbo big money a year ago to start opposite Sweat. He didn’t flash much before the Achilles injury, but they expect him to fully recover and contribute in 2026.
Shemar Turner was the 62nd overall pick in the 2025 draft, and after playing inside early, he was moved to the EDGE before tearing his ACL. Chicago expects him to be a part of the rotation this season.
Daniel Hardy is more of a special teamer, and Jeremiah Martin, Jonathan Garvin, and Jamree Kromah are all practice-squad types.
And that finally brings me to the topic of our poll of the day.
The Bears drafted Austin Booker in 2024, and as a 21-year-old rookie, he recorded 2.5 sacks in the preseason and was a regular part of the d-line rotation in the regular season. He managed a sack and a half in 17 games as a reserve.
Even in limited snaps, he flashed the hustle that had fans excited when he was drafted.
In year two, his 4 preseason sacks came in a variety of ways, leading to even more excitement. The hustle was still there, but he added to his effective long-arm move.
An injury slowed his start to the 2025 regular season, and he only played in 10 games, but his sacks increased to 4.5. His return coincided with Dayo’s injury, so Booker started 9 of those games.
He also started both playoff games, and he had an impactful night in the Wildcard win over Green Bay.
Booker has added about 10 pounds to his 23-year-old frame this year, and the coaching staff has tweaked his stance to help him get off the ball quicker.
Last offseason, Booker worked on stringing his moves together and broadening his attack plan against blockers, and that led to a big improvement over his rookie season.
Booker always brings relentless effort, so if he continues to...
