The Bears signed rookie defensive end Austin Booker, a fifth-round pick from Kansas, to a four-year contract on Thursday.
The Bears obtained the No. 144 pick used to draft Booker from the Bills in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round selection.
Booker, standing 6-6 and weighing 245 pounds, played in 18 college games—six at Minnesota in 2022 and 12 at Kansas last season. After limited playing time with the Golden Gophers, he made a significant impact at Kansas, recording 56 tackles, 8.0 sacks, and 12.0 tackles-for-loss in 2023, which earned him First Team All-Big 12 honors.
Booker is the third of the Bears’ five draft picks to sign a deal, following third-round offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie and fourth-round punter Tory Taylor. The two remaining unsigned picks are first-round quarterback Caleb Williams and first-round receiver Rome Odunze.
