Back on the field for the unofficial start of his second professional season, former Kansas defensive end Austin Booker turned in a dominant performance in Chicago on Sunday.
In his preseason opener with the Chicago Bears, Booker recorded three sacks and matched a team-high total with six tackles overall.
Among his other contributions, he assisted on one tackle to halt Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright at the 1-yard line on third-and-goal in the first quarter, sacked Zach Wilson on third-and-4 to force a punt after the half and, most notably, strip-sacked former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers as the third quarter was winding down.
Ewers’ fumble was recovered by Bears linebacker Power Echols at Miami’s 3-yard line, setting up a go-ahead touchdown from Case Keenum to Deion Hankins. The matchup ended in a 24-24 tie.
Booker is coming off a rookie season in which he played in all 17 games for the Bears, but generally in rotational action off the edge. He recorded 21 total tackles with 1.5 sacks — doubling that latter total, unofficially, in Sunday’s singlecontest at Soldier Field.
The native of Greenwood, Ind., spent one season at KU. Previously a little-used edge rusher at Minnesota, he made an immediate impact for the Jayhawks in 2023, as he finished with 56 tackles and eight sacks. Booker was named the Big 12’s defensive newcomer of the year and a first-team all-conference selection, and the Bears picked him in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Chicago plays next on Sunday night at 7 p.m. against the Buffalo Bills.
Another Jayhawk end on the move
Earlier in the offseason, Booker had been joined in the Bears’ defensive end room by a former collegiate teammate, Jereme Robinson, a multi-year starter at strong-side end for the Jayhawks under Lance Leipold who had signed with Chicago as an undrafted free agent. However, Chicago cut him in late July in favor of veteran Tanoh Kpassagnon.
Robinson’s NFL journey will continue, however, as he was signed by the New England Patriots on Sunday, the team announced.
Robinson recorded 22 tackles with 5.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles during his fifth-year senior season with the Jayhawks in 2024.
The Patriots opened the preseason with a 48-18 victory over Washington on Friday and will travel to face Minnesota on Saturday at 12 p.m.
