Bears’ Answer at Edge Rusher Could Already Be on the Roster

The Chicago Bears didn’t make a major splash at edge rusher in free agency.

That wasn’t an accident. It may have been a bet on Austin Booker.

As the offseason has unfolded, one of the more interesting developments hasn’t been who the Bears added; it’s who they’re trusting to take the next step. And according to longtime Bears insider Brad Biggs, Booker is firmly in that conversation.

Booker's Late-Season Role That Changed Everything

Booker didn’t finish the 2025 season as a rotational player. He finished it as a core piece of the defense.

“I certainly could see it trending in that direction with Booker,” Biggs wrote about Booker becoming an every-down player. “It will depend on what the depth chart looks like in training camp and the preseason, but Booker was more than a situational pass rusher after he got going last season.”

As Biggs noted, over the final five regular-season games, Booker played between 81.9% and 90.3% of defensive snaps. In the playoffs, that role expanded even further: 138 of 149 snaps (92.6%) across two games.

That certainly sounds like an every-down role to me.

Austin Booker's Production Warrants Attention

Booker's increased workload turned into legitimate production.

“In the final six games (playoffs included), he had 4½ sacks and eight QB hits,” Biggs noted.

Those numbers came in a relatively small sample size, but the trajectory is what matters.

Booker was impacting games by the time his second season in the NFL ended. And it's set the table for an exciting Year 3.

Why the Bears Are Betting on Booker

The Bears’ decision not to aggressively pursue an edge rusher this offseason raised eyebrows. It’s one of the roster’s most obvious needs. But internally, there’s a belief that Booker can grow into that role.

“The Bears look at Booker as someone with a high ceiling, and they’re optimistic he can take a significant step forward in his third season,” Biggs said.

That belief matters. Because right now, the Bears are building their pass rush around projection as much as production.

Montez Sweat remains the established presence. Beyond him, Booker represents the most realistic internal candidate to emerge as a consistent second threat.

Is Austin Booker Enough for the Bears' Defense?

That’s the real question. Booker’s late-season surge was encouraging, but projecting him as a full-time solution over a 17-game season, plus playoffs, is a different challenge entirely.

Edge rusher is one of the hardest positions to fill with projection alone. It typically requires proven, repeatable production.

Right now, Booker has shown flashes of that. Not a full body of work.

What This Means for the Bears’ Next Move

If Booker continues on this trajectory, the Bears may have found a cost-controlled, high-upside answer at a premium position.

If he doesn’t, the lack of a proven edge opposite Sweat will remain one of the biggest questions on the roster.

That’s why this storyline isn’t going away. It’s going to follow this team through OTAs, training camp, and likely into the early part of the season.

Because for all the moves the Chicago Bears made this offseason, one of their most important decisions might come down to this: Did they already have their answer at edge rusher, and trust it, or did they leave a critical need unresolved?

The 2026 NFL Draft Still Looms as a Safety Net

Even with the internal belief in Austin Booker, the Bears aren’t locked into one path.

The 2026 NFL Draft still gives them flexibility.

The Bears can go into the draft hoping Booker takes that next step, without being forced to rely on it. If a high-end edge prospect is available, they can still make the move and add real competition to the room.

And if they do, it doesn’t mean Booker failed. It just means the Bears are serious about not leaving a premium position to chance.