The Facts: The Bears on Friday released three players, including Booker. The Bears also released linebacker Gilbert Gardner and waived linebacker Marcus Riley.
Diehards Line:Booker, 32, returned for his second stint with the Bears last March, signing a two-year contract. But he caught just 14 passes for 211 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2008, appearing in 13 games with five starts while battling injuries. Booker spent his first five NFL seasons with the Bears, arriving as a third-round draft pick in 1999. He set a franchise record with 100 catches in 2001 and delivered a second straight 1,000-yard season in 2002 while making 97 receptions.