The Chicago Bears are getting ready to take on the Washington Commanders on Monday night, and they were optimistic earlier in the week about the status of defensive end Austin Booker.
Booker was one of the preseason stars for the Bears with eight tackles and four sacks before suffering a knee injury in the second preseason game. That injury kept him on injured reserve for the first four games, and Chicago opened his practice window on Oct. 7.
After logging a full week of practice and even being removed off the injury report, Booker appeared ready to make his season debut. But according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, that will have to wait as the Bears will not activate him for Monday night’s game.
Austin Booker’s Absence Could Haunt Bears vs. Commanders
The decision to hold Booker out for at least one more week is disappointing for Bears fans. In addition to the traditional numbers, the 2024 fifth-round pick was a pressure machine, with seven pressures and three sacks in Chicago’s preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins and two more sacks before getting injured the following week against the Bills.
Booker’s 93.6 overall grade was the second-highest of any qualifying defensive player during the preseason, according to Pro Football Focus, and was a massive leap from his rookie season.
While preseason success isn’t indicative of how a player will perform in the regular season, it’s not like the Bears couldn’t have used the help. Chicago’s pass rush ranks seventh in the NFL with a 20.3% pressure rate entering Monday night. But its five sacks are tied for the least amount of any team with the Carolina Panthers.
Chicago is also without defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who is dealing with a knee injury amid a disappointing first season with the Bears. With Jarrett out in the middle, the Bears haven't had much production on the outside, with no player having more than one sack this season.
Facing Jayden Daniels isn’t likely to help those numbers, and Booker showed a knack for finishing plays that Chicago hasn’t shown over the first month of the season. For a team looking to keep pace in a highly competitive NFC North, the decision to hold Booker out is a letdown that could come back to haunt them against the Commanders.