NEWSLETTER
If you’re looking for a training camp story to follow this summer, then keep your eyes on Austin Booker.
Booker, a fifth-round pick by the Chicago Bears in last April’s NFL Draft, seems to have caught the eye of teammate Montez Sweat. Like Sweat, Booker is a defensive end. But unlike Sweat, Booker doesn’t have ample experience as a pro. Good thing that Sweat seems willing to be a helping hand in the rookie’s development.
This exchange between a reporter and Montez Sweat discussing Austin Booker, his potential, and what can be done to get the most out of the rookie is encouraging to hear:
Reporter: What do you see in Austin Booker?
Montez Sweat: “I’m excited about him. He’s got the whole make-up. From the frame, to the pass-rush ability. He’s going to be a great player.”
Reporter: What can you do to help make sure Austin gets the most out of his potential?
Montez Sweat: I just gotta be that big brother for him. Be there for him when he has a question. Just help him along the way just like the vets helped me.
Montez Sweat sounds like he is ready to take Austin Booker under his wing
I absolutely love the give-and-take in this interaction between a reporter and Bears defensive end Montez Sweat. Firstly, the question (and follow-up) were perfect. Those are the kinds of questions that pique my interest this time of year when rookies and vets are together at minicamp. But the response from Sweat when discussing Austin Booker is even better. There are few things I enjoy as much as hearing a successful veteran speak openly about being a willing mentor for a rookie on the rise. Football is better when it is passed down from the old heads to the new school.
2024 CHICAGO BEARS DRAFT PICKS: Everything You Need to Know About Fifth-Round Pick Austin Booker
As for Sweat’s excitement about Booker, I share it.
Austin Booker was on our radar before the 2024 NFL Draft. Heck, BN’s own Patrick Flowers had Booker in his sights as a possible Bears fit on draft weekend. Booker, who projected to be a Day 2 pick, ended up sliding all the way down to the fifth round. At that point, Booker’s talent was so enticing for the Bears that they were willing to give up a future fourth-round pick to trade back into the 2024 draft in order to select Booker. If Sweat can teach Booker the ways of the Force some of the tricks of the trade and aid in his development, we’ll look back as the juice being worth the squeeze on that trade.
And it’s not as if Austin Booker needs to be a finished product by the end of his rookie season. Ideally, the Bears will deploy the Kansas product as a situational pass-rusher early in his career. Getting the rookie’s feet wet in situations where he can just pin his ears back and attack the quarterback seems like a good place to start his development. Ideally, Booker will develop into a starting defensive end who shines opposite of Montez Sweat. Again, it doesn’t need to be immediate. But we’ll cross that bridge if and when we get to it.
The Bears won’t kick off the regular season for another 96 days. As for the preseason, those games aren’t on our radar for another 58 days. But training camp in July feels like it is right around the corner (even though a date hasn’t been officially announced just yet). However, when camp dates become public knowledge and the gates at Halas Hall open to the public, you can count me in as among those who will want to keep tabs on what Austin Booker is doing.
