LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) – Before the Bears took to the practice field in July for the start of training camp, general manager Ryan Poles offered his endorsement for Chicago’s cohort of edge rushers behind star defensive end Montez Sweat.
“It's our job to look at every option that's out there to improve our football team,” Poles said as the Bears reported for training camp. “(But) we feel really comfortable with the guys we have on our roster now, and I'm excited.”
More than three weeks into training camp, Poles’ belief hasn’t seemed to waver as the Bears get a sense of the skill sets and depth they have at pass rusher.
Rookie Austin Booker, a fifth-round pick of the Bears in April, has been a standout early in the preseason. He posted 2.5 sacks during Chicago’s 33-6 win at Buffalo in preseason action Saturday.
Booker, 21, is a raw-but-talented player whom the Bears acquired by trading for the 144th overall pick after they had used all of their 2024 draft capital. Booker is considered a developmental prospect, and the Bears are pleased with his progress early on.
“He’s getting better,” defensive coordinator Eric Washington said. “And he’s doing some good things. He had some production on the quarterback. He was physical with his rushes. He never gave up on his rushes. He kept himself in contention (to make a play), so he’s doing some really nice things.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself with Austin. He’s had a couple of good showings, and I’m not trying to diminish what he did. But there’s a long way to go in this process of being game ready when it’s outside the preseason. He’s doing a good job.”
The Bears are also hoping for more from third-year pass rusher Dominique Robinson, a fifth-round pick in 2022 who has had flashes during his NFL career.
Robinson, 26, arrived at training camp with 15 more pounds of muscle. He was also selected as an intriguing developmental prospect after having converted from quarterback and tight end to pass rusher at Miami (Ohio).
“I’ve been put in a position to where in my head it’s either I take the spot or – it’s football,” Robinson said. “It’s a business. I came in trying to prove a point.”
Veteran pass rusher DeMarcus Walker is expected to see the lion’s share of snaps opposite of Sweat in the defensive end rotation. A seven-year pro, Walker has 23 sacks in 83 career games. But he produced only 3.5 sacks in 2023, his first year with the Bears.
Sweat returned to practice in a limited fashion Tuesday following a multi-week absence. The Bears didn’t disclose the nature of Sweat’s injury, though the belief is that his status for Week 1 isn’t in jeopardy.
Two years ago, the Bears were led in sacks by safety Jaquan Brisker with a meager total of four. They struggled to solidify that position before trading a second-round pick to the Commanders for Sweat last October.
Sweat led both the Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5) in sacks in 2023, when he earned his first career Pro Bowl selection.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.