Welcome to the 2026 Chicago Bears Season Preview on Bears By 7, a player-by-player look at the team's roster and their chances.

First time here? Sign up here for our free Chicago Bears newsletter!

Austin Booker started his sophomore season on the sidelines. He missed the first eight weeks with a knee injury while the defensive line struggled in his absence.

But Booker quickly made up for lost time once he entered the lineup. He totaled 4.5 sacks and 30 pressures in just 10 games, increasing the Bears’ pressure rate from 28.7 percent (27th in the NFL) to 33.2 percent (21st).

Booker also made sure to show up during the Bears’ biggest rivalry games. He knocked Jordan Love out of the regular-season game at Soldier Field and then sacked him again in the wild card win. The mere mention of his name north of the border might draw expletives, which is exactly what you want from a Bears defensive lineman.

You also want to see a lineman who is getting better. Booker saw big jumps in almost every category, which is inspiring hope for a breakout in Year 3.

If you were to make a list of the most-repeated offseason storylines, it might start with “the Bears need a breakout season from Austin Booker.” Part of that comes from what he did in the second half of 2025, the rest comes from the front office’s decision not to focus on the defensive line during the draft or free agency.

Indeed, there’s no bigger X-Factor on the roster than Booker.

But can he be the “secret superstar” all of us want him to be?