You act like he isn't playing at all. He will be part of a rotation. Again, Cory Wooton says he isn't ready yet, that he needs time. But I guess you know better...
I didn’t say he’s ready yet. I said I want to use 2024 to GET him ready for Super Bowl run 2025-26. Walker has to be part of this conversation. Making him the starter and then giving both him and Taylor more snaps than Booker is going to delay his development. I have a timeline to get a Super Bowl ready team 2025-26. Booker is part of it. Walker is not.
I think thats what the Bears plan on doing. They wouldn't have traded back into the draft to get him if they didn't think highly of him and viewed him as an integral part of the plan going forward. As I said, it's not like he's not going to play. No matter which way you slice it, another edge player was going to be acquired and put into the rotation. This is not a surprising move. So Booker will be playing the amount of snaps he was always going to play. In fact, getting a guy like Taylor instead of a more proven player like Udon or Ngakue probably ensures he'll play more snaps. Walker is going to be bumped inside on obvious passing downs...Poles and Flus have said as much.
At the end of the day, the Bears NEED TO WIN games this year. In order to do that they need players and depth at key positions. If Booker is gonna be good, he'll be good. Whether he plays 30% of the snaps or 40% of the snaps isn't going to determine that one way or another. Hell...Montez Sweat only played 44% of the snaps last year!
I didn’t say he’s ready yet. I said I want to use 2024 to GET him ready for Super Bowl run 2025-26. Walker has to be part of this conversation. Making him the starter and then giving both him and Taylor more snaps than Booker is going to delay his development. I have a timeline to get a Super Bowl ready team 2025-26. Booker is part of it. Walker is not.
I think thats what the Bears plan on doing. They wouldn't have traded back into the draft to get him if they didn't think highly of him and viewed him as an integral part of the plan going forward. As I said, it's not like he's not going to play. No matter which way you slice it, another edge player was going to be acquired and put into the rotation. This is not a surprising move. So Booker will be playing the amount of snaps he was always going to play. In fact, getting a guy like Taylor instead of a more proven player like Udon or Ngakue probably ensures he'll play more snaps. Walker is going to be bumped inside on obvious passing downs...Poles and Flus have said as much.
At the end of the day, the Bears NEED TO WIN games this year. In order to do that they need players and depth at key positions. If Booker is gonna be good, he'll be good. Whether he plays 30% of the snaps or 40% of the snaps isn't going to determine that one way or another. Hell...Montez Sweat only played 44% of the snaps last year!
Sweat was an experienced veteran, not a rookie. The more experience Booker gets this year, the better.
He should be on the field on passing situations and Walker for 3rd-and-2. I want to see a healthy competition between Booker and Taylor for snap %.
I think thats what the Bears plan on doing. They wouldn't have traded back into the draft to get him if they didn't think highly of him and viewed him as an integral part of the plan going forward. As I said, it's not like he's not going to play. No matter which way you slice it, another edge player was going to be acquired and put into the rotation. This is not a surprising move. So Booker will be playing the amount of snaps he was always going to play. In fact, getting a guy like Taylor instead of a more proven player like Udon or Ngakue probably ensures he'll play more snaps. Walker is going to be bumped inside on obvious passing downs...Poles and Flus have said as much.
At the end of the day, the Bears NEED TO WIN games this year. In order to do that they need players and depth at key positions. If Booker is gonna be good, he'll be good. Whether he plays 30% of the snaps or 40% of the snaps isn't going to determine that one way or another. Hell...Montez Sweat only played 44% of the snaps last year!
Sweat was an experienced veteran, not a rookie. The more experience Booker gets this year, the better.
He should be on the field on passing situations and Walker for 3rd-and-2. I want to see a healthy competition between Booker and Taylor for snap %.
I actually got the numbers wrong. I was looking at average snaps per game, not percentages.
You play your best players the most. Thats how this league works. Sweat will probably play closer to 75 to 80% of the snaps this year. I think he sat out a week after he was traded if I remember. Either way, all the rest will be rotated through. Flus has been very transparent about how he wants to operate the defensive line. He wants waves of fresh players. Even if Booker started, he's not playing more than 50 to 55% of the snaps most likely because he'd still be taken off the field in obvious run downs and rotated out for fresh bodies.
If you look at the snap percentages from last year, after Sweat was acquired, Ngakue's snap percentage dipped from routine high 70 to high 80% down to 53% and 52% in the 2 games he was healthy for with Sweat. The second defensive end is more specialized and gets rotated more. Walker will be somewhere around there too because he is going to kick inside a bunch. If Booker gets CLOSE to 50% of the snaps...thats A LOT of snaps for a rookie 5th round pick!
Sweat was an experienced veteran, not a rookie. The more experience Booker gets this year, the better.
He should be on the field on passing situations and Walker for 3rd-and-2. I want to see a healthy competition between Booker and Taylor for snap %.
I actually got the numbers wrong. I was looking at average snaps per game, not percentages.
You play your best players the most. Thats how this league works. Sweat will probably play closer to 75 to 80% of the snaps this year. I think he sat out a week after he was traded if I remember. Either way, all the rest will be rotated through. Flus has been very transparent about how he wants to operate the defensive line. He wants waves of fresh players. Even if Booker started, he's not playing more than 50 to 55% of the snaps most likely because he'd still be taken off the field in obvious run downs and rotated out for fresh bodies.
If you look at the snap percentages from last year, after Sweat was acquired, Ngakue's snap percentage dipped from routine high 70 to high 80% down to 53% and 52% in the 2 games he was healthy for with Sweat. The second defensive end is more specialized and gets rotated more. Walker will be somewhere around there too because he is going to kick inside a bunch. If Booker gets CLOSE to 50% of the snaps...thats A LOT of snaps for a rookie 5th round pick!
Booker was an absolute steal. He should have gone second round. I’m fine with something close to 50% this year.
I actually got the numbers wrong. I was looking at average snaps per game, not percentages.
You play your best players the most. Thats how this league works. Sweat will probably play closer to 75 to 80% of the snaps this year. I think he sat out a week after he was traded if I remember. Either way, all the rest will be rotated through. Flus has been very transparent about how he wants to operate the defensive line. He wants waves of fresh players. Even if Booker started, he's not playing more than 50 to 55% of the snaps most likely because he'd still be taken off the field in obvious run downs and rotated out for fresh bodies.
If you look at the snap percentages from last year, after Sweat was acquired, Ngakue's snap percentage dipped from routine high 70 to high 80% down to 53% and 52% in the 2 games he was healthy for with Sweat. The second defensive end is more specialized and gets rotated more. Walker will be somewhere around there too because he is going to kick inside a bunch. If Booker gets CLOSE to 50% of the snaps...thats A LOT of snaps for a rookie 5th round pick!
Booker was an absolute steal. He should have gone second round. I’m fine with something close to 50% this year.
But he didn't...he went in the 5th, and this was just the pre-season against a lot of guys who got their walking papers today.
With Taylor and Booker added to the 2024 DL, and Gervon Dexter's improvement, we should have a better DL. Walker should be a better weapon now too.
LINK Top Chicago Bears Player Set to Shine After Darrell Taylor Trade
The Chicago Bears bolstered their pass rush by trading for Darrell Taylor, enhancing their defensive line's performance. His acquisition is expected to improve DeMarcus Walker's play by allowing him to utilize his inside-outside versatility more effectively. Last season, Walker's interior rushing dropped significantly, limiting his impact. With both Taylor and Austin Booker now onboard, the Bears can rotate more effectively, enabling Walker to move inside and capitalize on favorable matchups. This shift aims to create a more dynamic and resilient pass-rushing unit.
LINK Chicago Bears trade for Darrell Taylor is a win for DeMarcus Walker
With Taylor and Booker added to the 2024 DL, and Gervon Dexter's improvement, we should have a better DL. Walker should be a better weapon now too.
LINK Top Chicago Bears Player Set to Shine After Darrell Taylor Trade
The Chicago Bears bolstered their pass rush by trading for Darrell Taylor, enhancing their defensive line's performance. His acquisition is expected to improve DeMarcus Walker's play by allowing him to utilize his inside-outside versatility more effectively. Last season, Walker's interior rushing dropped significantly, limiting his impact. With both Taylor and Austin Booker now onboard, the Bears can rotate more effectively, enabling Walker to move inside and capitalize on favorable matchups. This shift aims to create a more dynamic and resilient pass-rushing unit.
LINK Chicago Bears trade for Darrell Taylor is a win for DeMarcus Walker
Not a word about Booker in that article.
Also, Dexter and Billings should get many more snaps inside than Walker.
What is your personal opinion of Walker, not what other people write?
But he didn't...he went in the 5th, and this was just the pre-season against a lot of guys who got their walking papers today.
Brax was 5th round draft and first year starter. Mistakes get made both directions every year in the draft, and Booker is one of them.
For the fourth time, I make my assessment on what I see, not the results of plays.
Thats great and all...your eyes should also tell you what you see is happening against guys getting cut today. Brax was made the starter at LT on DAY 1! Big difference in opinion on the player and circumstances.