4 Bears Who Can’t Afford a Slow Start Week 1
By Zach Elliott
4. DeMarcus Walker, DE
Starting 12 games and 700 snaps in 2023, Walker comes into this season as the default defensive end starter opposite Montez Sweat. The 29-year-old was a steadying presence as a vet, but his 3.5 sacks last year underlined the reason they needed to acquire and sign Sweat in the first place.
Fortunately, enough, he can still potentially justify his role. All challengers for the starting edge job are new, not very good, or a rookie. Darrell Taylor has some history of pass rush juice, accumulating 21.5 sacks in three years with the Seahawks. 24-year-old Daniel Hardy made the team out of camp with a strong preseason but has 41 total regular-season snaps in his career.
One potential usurper who seems to be gaining on Walker is rookie fifth-rounder Austin Booker. A raw but explosive prospect coming out of Kansas, Booker racked up nine pressures and 2.5 sacks despite only playing 94 total snaps in the preseason. His 19% pass-rush win rate ranked sixth among first-year qualifiers, per PFF.
Booker, a potential trade target, or some upcoming edge in the 2025 class will undoubtedly replace Walker sooner rather than later. A strong showing against Tennessee could stem the tide, however, or at least make sure he retains a rotational role going forward.
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