NEWSLETTER
If you thought the Chicago Bears were done drafting after the selection of Iowa punter Tory Taylor, think again.
The Chicago Bears just swung a trade to get back into the 2024 NFL Draft to take Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker.NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport was the first to report on the Bears sliding back into the draft. Meanwhile, Rap Sheet’s NFL Network teammate Tom Pelissero reports it is a 2025 fourth-round pick going to the Buffalo Bills. This isn’t the first time these two have swung an offseason deal. However, the selection of Austin Booker is a little more fun than trading for a reserve offensive lineman:
Austin Booker was someone who I thought the Bears might be interested in taking with their fourth-round pick. Seeing the Bears circle back to Booker after drafting a punter in the fourth round is fun. And when it comes to Day 3 of the NFL Draft, I am all about fun!
I want to be surprised, but I’m not. There is a part of me had an inkling there was a realistic chance something like this could happen. The Bears had extra Day 3 draft capital via sixth-rounders from trades made with the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers. Using a 2025 fourth-round selection might not sit well with fans who enjoy when their favorite team hoards picks. But the juice might be worth the squeeze if Austin Booker shines in Chicago.
Who is Austin Booker and why did the Bears trade back into the 2024 NFL Draft to get him?
Booker earned first-team All-Big 12 status in 2023 and was awarded the conference’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year for his efforts. A transfer from the University of Minnesota, Booker made the most of his one season at KU racking up 8 sacks and 12 tackles-for-loss in 12 games. You’d think that type of production would have led him to go earlier in the draft. It didn’t. But perhaps the Bears have found a diamond-in-the-rough here.
For what it’s worth, Booker’s NFL Draft profile projected him to be a third-round pick. And Lance Zierlein dropped a Maxx Crosby pro comp on the Kansas standout. Here is a snippet from the profile:
Booker needs to get bigger and stronger, but that will come. The diversity of his rush approach is unheard of for a player with so little playing time. He can stride and dip at the top of the rush or beat tackles back inside with a Euro step or spin counter. He can stab and long-arm tackles into the pocket or stay separated from them at the point of attack. He chases quarterbacks and running backs with agility and burst but can be inconsistent dealing with a downhill running game.
That brief snapshot has my interest and attention. And I’m looking forward to diving into Austin Booker joining the Bears as the newest member of Chicago’s defense in due time.
