Chicago Bears Get Bad News On Preseason Darling After Preseason Finale Vs. Chiefs

The Chicago Bears’ promising preseason came to an abrupt halt with concerning news about one of their brightest young stars. Austin Booker, the second-year edge rusher who had been making a compelling case for an expanded role in the 2025 defense, will likely miss the start of the regular season with a knee injury that has derailed what was shaping up to be a breakout campaign.

Head coach Ben Johnson’s assessment after Friday’s preseason finale was sobering for Bears fans who had watched Booker dominate opposing offensive lines throughout the summer. “A few weeks” is how Johnson characterized the expected recovery timeline, a phrase that carries significant weight as the regular season looms just days away.

Chicago Bears Austin Booker Injury

Booker’s injury represents more than just the loss of depth—it’s the temporary halt of one of the most encouraging development stories in Chicago. The 2024 fifth-round pick had transformed from a raw project into a legitimate pass-rushing threat, leading the entire NFL with four sacks during the preseason while adding eight tackles, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble in just two games.

This dramatic improvement didn’t happen overnight. The Bears understood they were taking a calculated gamble when they traded back into the fifth round to select Booker, viewing him as a long-term investment who would need time to harness his explosive athleticism. His rookie season reflected those growing pains—1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss on 283 defensive snaps showed flashes but little consistency.

The 2025 preseason revealed a player who had clearly spent his offseason addressing those developmental gaps. Booker began utilizing his length more effectively, improved his hand technique, and showed better understanding of how to convert speed to power around the edge. The statistical explosion was merely the surface manifestation of deeper technical improvements.

Perfect System, Perfect Timing

Booker’s emergence coincided perfectly with Dennis Allen’s arrival as defensive coordinator. Allen’s aggressive scheme emphasizes the kind of relentless pass rush that plays directly to Booker’s natural strengths—speed, length, and motor. Where the previous defensive system may have asked him to drop into coverage or play more conservatively, Allen’s approach encourages the kind of attacking mentality that allows Booker to maximize his physical gifts.

The scheme fit became evident during the preseason, where Booker consistently found himself in one-on-one situations with overwhelmed tackles. His four sacks weren’t just products of superior athleticism but demonstrated improved technique in converting pressure into production. The forced fumble against Buffalo particularly showcased his developing football instincts and ability to affect plays beyond just getting to the quarterback.

Even slotted as the No. 3 pass rusher behind established veterans Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, Booker had positioned himself for significant playing time in Allen’s rotation-heavy approach. The defensive coordinator’s history suggests he would have found creative ways to get Booker on the field in obvious passing situations, potentially creating the perfect environment for a breakout season.

The Ripple Effect on Depth

Booker’s absence creates a cascading effect throughout Chicago’s defensive planning. The Bears had been counting on his development to provide quality depth behind their starting edge rushers, but his injury forces them to reconsider both their immediate roster construction and long-term defensive strategy.

The timing couldn’t be worse from a roster management perspective. With final cuts looming, the Bears must now decide whether to carry additional depth at the position to account for Booker’s absence or risk being thin at edge rusher early in the season. Players like Dominique Robinson, Daniel Hardy, and Tanoh Kpassagnon suddenly find their roster odds improved by circumstances beyond their control.

Robinson brings the most upside among the trio, with his combination of size and athleticism offering similar traits to what makes Booker intriguing. Hardy’s value as a special teams contributor could prove decisive in final roster deliberations, while Kpassagnon’s familiarity with Allen’s system from their New Orleans days provides immediate schematic comfort.

The Chicago Bears may be forced to keep five defensive ends on their initial 53-man roster—an unusual allocation that speaks to both their lack of proven depth and uncertainty about Booker’s return timeline. This roster construction would limit flexibility elsewhere but ensures adequate coverage during what could be an extended absence.

Adjusting the Game Plan

Allen’s defensive philosophy emphasizes depth and rotation, particularly in pass-rushing situations. Booker’s injury doesn’t just remove a player—it eliminates a specific skill set that the coordinator had likely planned to deploy in various packages throughout the season.

The defensive coordinator will need to adjust his rotation patterns and potentially modify certain pressure concepts that were designed around Booker’s unique combination of speed and length. This could mean more responsibility for established players like Sweat and Odeyingbo, or creative use of hybrid players who can provide pass rush from unexpected angles.

Allen’s experience with similar situations in New Orleans suggests he’ll find ways to manufacture pressure despite the personnel loss. However, the absence of Booker’s developmental trajectory represents a longer-term concern about the defense’s ability to generate consistent pressure throughout the season.

The Injury Reserve Decision

The Bears face a crucial decision regarding Booker’s immediate roster status. Placing him on injured reserve with a designation to return would guarantee his absence for at least four games while freeing up a roster spot for immediate depth. However, this approach assumes his recovery will require the full timeline Johnson indicated.

If the injury is on the shorter end of the “few weeks” spectrum, keeping Booker on the active roster might allow for a quicker return while maintaining roster flexibility. This decision will likely depend on medical evaluations over the weekend and the team’s confidence in their current depth.

The financial implications are minimal given Booker’s rookie contract status, making this purely a football decision about optimizing both short-term competitiveness and long-term development.

Looking Beyond the Immediate Impact

While Booker’s injury represents a short-term setback, his preseason performance provides genuine optimism about the Bears’ future pass-rushing capabilities. His development curve suggests that once healthy, he could become a legitimate contributor in Allen’s system and potentially develop into a cornerstone of the defense.

The injury also serves as a reminder of how quickly circumstances can change in the NFL. Booker went from roster bubble candidate to key contributor to injured reserve candidate in the span of a few weeks, highlighting both the opportunities and precarious nature of professional football careers.

The Path Forward

For the Bears, Booker’s absence creates both immediate challenges and future opportunities. The coaching staff must find ways to generate pass rush without one of their most promising young players while continuing to develop the depth that will be needed throughout the season.

Allen’s track record suggests he’ll find creative solutions to maintain defensive effectiveness despite the personnel loss. However, the true test will come when Chicago faces high-powered offenses early in the season with a potentially thinner pass-rushing rotation than originally planned.

Booker’s injury story isn’t finished—it’s simply paused. When he returns, whether that’s in a few weeks or after a stint on injured reserve, he’ll likely pick up where he left off in his development. The foundation he built during the preseason suggests that his breakout season may be delayed rather than derailed.

For now, the Bears must navigate the early season without one of their most encouraging defensive developments, while Booker focuses on the rehabilitation that will determine when his promising trajectory can resume.