The Chicago Bears have had high expectations for 2024 fifth-round rookie Austin Booker since selecting him out of Kansas. Although Booker managed just 1.5 sacks in limited snaps during his rookie campaign, he's got high potential that Chicago fans want to see reached.
New head coach Ben Johnson hoped to tap into that promise before the news that Booker would be placed on injured reserve, changing the calculus. He'll miss at least four games, and the front office needs to act quickly.
Based on Tuesday's developments, it sounds like general manager Ryan Poles is already hard at work trying to find a suitable replacement.
Former #Saints defensive end Isaiah Foskey is expected to work out with the #Bears this week and the #Eagles next week, sources tell @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) September 2, 2025
The former Notre Dame All-American was a second-round draft pick of the Saints in 2023. Posted 16 tackles for New Orleans last season. pic.twitter.com/vuR1ObkFQj
Bears Seeking Austin Booker Replacement with Isaiah Foskey Tryout
According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, both the Bears and Philadelphia Eagles are giving former New Orleans Saints defensive end Isaiah Foskey a tryout next week. That'd guarantee he'd miss at least the first game of the season, though it represents a lifeline for a pair of NFC teams that could use the defensive depth.
Foskey was an All-American at Notre Dame and a second-round pick, though things didn't work out in New Orleans. One could easily blame the terrible coaching staff for the issues, so it's easy to convince yourself that the 24-year-old Foskey is worthy of another chance.
That's why this decision is smart. Booker had eight sacks during his final year at Kansas and was a fifth-round pick. Foskey had 11 in back-to-back years and holds the record for the most sacks in program history. He's a better player based on pedigree, so it makes little sense to pass up the opportunity to turn trash into treasure if you're already dealing with an injury.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis is widely known as a poor evaluator. New Bears head coach Ben Johnson is known as a rather good one. One should trust Johnson over Loomis when it comes to this type of conversation, which only strengthens the argument that Chicago may have found a steal here.
Booker has a lot of promise. So does Foskey. Should they both work out positively, that changes the amount of resources that Chicago needs to put into the defensive line in future years. Building the trenches is obviously important, as proved by the Philadelphia Eagles, and taking reasonable dart throws is smart.
Even if it doesn't work out, at least the Bears have an obvious plan and are trying to fix their past mistakes. Foskey deserves to be on a roster, and Chicago should be the one to sign him.