Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has dropped a bit of concerning injury news about edge rusher Austin Booker just weeks out from Week 1’s opener.
Following two days of practice absences for Booker, Johnson provided an update on his starting edge rusher before August 27’s joint practice with the Tennessee Titans, saying that Booker is dealing with a groin injury and classifying him as “week-to-week.”
“Yeah, he’s banged up,” Johnson said Thursday in Tennessee. “He’s working through a groin [injury], and it’ll be more week-to-week in terms of his availability.”
Austin Booker News Throws Wrench Into Bears’ Plans
Booker has been on track to open the 2026 season as the Bears’ starting defensive end opposite veteran Montez Sweat after recording a career-best 4.5 sacks in 10 games last season, but his injury could create problems for both him and Chicago’s roster build.
The Bears did not make a single outside addition to their defensive end room during the 2026 offseason, a decision that drew much criticism from the national media and fans. Instead, they opted to run things back with Sweat, Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, Shermar Turner and Daniel Hardy — a special-teamer whom they extended in March.
While Booker still has a little more than two weeks to work through his groin injury and get back on the practice field, his recovery progress could become a stress point for the Bears in the lead-up to Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers on September 13.
Could Austin Booker’s Injury Force Bears to Make Move?
Booker is not firmly in jeopardy of missing the first game of the 2026 regular season for the Bears at this stage, even though Johnson’s “week-to-week” descriptor is troubling.
If the Bears close out training camp and are still unsure when Booker might return to the field, though, the situation might force them into making another roster addition.
The Bears have a plan in place at edge rusher, but losing Booker would complicate the vision a bit. Odeyingbo — their $48 million free-agent signing from last offseason — is the logical next man up if Booker isn’t ready to play in Week 1, but the depth behind him boils down to Hardy and Jamree Kromah, a preseason standout on the bubble.
Chicago also added veteran edge rusher Marcus Davenport, a former first-round pick with ties to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, out of free agency earlier this month. He hasn’t practiced yet for the Bears, but Johnson said that is purely precautionary, as the team is staying mindful of his troublesome injury history throughout his career.
Even with Davenport, though, can the Bears depend on that rotation if Booker cannot suit up against the Panthers in the season opener? They will certainly have a chance to test out their ambitious plan if Booker’s groin sidelines him into the regular season.
Bears’ Ben Johnson Shares Austin Booker Injury News Before Week 1