The Chicago Bears didn’t add an edge rusher this offseason, much to the surprise of both fans and media. Part of it was a lack of opportunities. They didn’t have the cap space to do any serious spending in free agency and the draft didn’t fall their way in terms of quality prospects. However, there is an undercurrent of belief that general manager Ryan Poles did this on purpose. He wanted to leave the door open for Austin Booker. Chicago’s former 5th round pick finished last season strong after missing nine weeks with a knee injury. It is felt that the 23-year-old is poised for a big year if he can stay healthy.
To that effect, reports indicate Booker has attacked this offseason with a will. He’s put in more work than ever before, preparing his body for the upcoming season. The results have been hard to miss. The defensive end looked bulked up in his recent appearances. As it turns out, the results are significant. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Booker has put on ten pounds of weight from last season, including six pounds of pure muscle mass.
“Only 23 — his birthday is in December — Booker has a huge opportunity in front of him and is one of the players who can help raise the profile of a defense that was inconsistent rushing the passer and struggled too often to stop the run last season.
As he did last offseason, Booker went to Florida to work out after the season ended, adding a nutritionist to his program and doing more volume workouts at the end of the day. He currently weighs 255 pounds — he played at 245 last season — and his lower body is more defined. A recent dexa scan at Halas Hall showed he had added six pounds of muscle to his frame.”
This is what the Bears have been building to with Austin Booker.
They knew when they traded back into the draft to grab him in the 5th round two years ago that he was a project. Booker had tons of natural ability and a relentless mindset as a pass rusher. The problem was his body. He was skinny and underpowered. Scouting reports listed him at 240 lbs coming out of Kansas. Many experts saw him as more of a 3-4 outside linebacker because of that. True defensive ends tend to weigh at least 260 lbs. There was skepticism about whether he could put on enough pounds without losing his explosiveness.
Well, it appears he met that challenge. At 255, he is now in a much more comfortable zone. The added muscle mass should bring more power to the table, which was already a growing advantage for him even last season. If he continues adding to his pass rush repertoire along with his trademark long arm, this is a player who is likely destined for double-digit sacks this season. That would certainly help solve the Bears’ biggest problem and put Booker in line for a considerable payday next spring.
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Chicago badly needs a stroke of good fortune.
As of right now, it looks like the team is moving towards a complete overhaul of the defensive line next year. Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett are almost certain to be cut. Montez Sweat will be approaching his 31st birthday, so his future remains uncertain. Gervon Dexter will be a free agent. Depending on what happens with Austin Booker, they may have to replace all four of their starters. Doing that in one offseason is almost impossible. The Bears badly need somebody young to step into the role of a front-line starter.
Dexter still has a chance to do that, but most believe the best odds are with Booker. Given the kind of work he’s putting in, that seems like a smart bet. The only obstacle remaining is health. He must put together a full season before the Bears feel comfortable making him one of the guys moving forward. That is the one variable nobody can predict. The only thing to do is sit back and see what Booker does.
