The Chicago Bears are about to get some reinforcements for their struggling defensive line. While veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is still dealing with a knee injury, the Bears will at least have Austin Booker back soon. This could signal a role reduction for the underwhelming offseason addition, Dayo Odeyingbo.
Odeyingbo has been under fire by Bears fans following his disappointing start to the season. One of the more confusing offseason moves by general manager Ryan Poles, the Bears gave a three-year, $48 million deal to the 26-year-old defensive end. A desperate Poles broke the bank for a player who has not played at the level commensurate with that contract during his four seasons in Indianapolis. Heading into Week 6, that contract is looking like a mistake.
Austin Booker Must Take Dayo Odeyingbo's Defensive Snaps Upon His Return
Fortunately for the Bears, Booker's return could push Odeyingbo further down the pecking order and give the anemic pass rush a boost. Chicago opened the 21-day practice window for Booker on Tuesday, meaning that he doesn't count against the 53-man roster until the Bears choose to activate him. He now has a chance to suit up against the Washington Commanders on Monday night.
The fifth-round pick in last season's draft, Booker has shown intriguing flashes as a rookie and in the preseason this summer. Before suffering a knee injury in his second preseason game, Booker was arguably the best defender for the Bears, racking up five sacks in two games, along with a 93.8 Pro Football Focus pass rush grade.
Considering how no team in the NFL has fewer sacks than the Bears through five weeks, Booker's addition will obviously be welcome. The 22-year-old defender has shown more upside than Odeyingbo, who currently ranks as the 91st-best defensive end in the NFL out of 109 eligible players in PFF defensive grades.
Chicago's defensive struggles obviously can't be fixed by Booker alone. Montez Sweat has been playing well, but he has not been at the level he was when he arrived in Chicago at the 2023 trade deadline. The Bears are not getting much out of Tanoh Kpassagnon and Dominique Robinson, either.
Odeyinbgo becoming more of a depth piece will help, but the Bears can't move on from him because of his salary. There needs to be an overall improvement at the individual level for the Bears to have a postseason-caliber defensive unit.
In the meantime, however, Odeyingbo's snaps getting reduced in favor of Booker is the most Bears fans can ask for. How big of an impact that will have will be obvious in Booker's season debut, whether it is Monday or beyond.