Luther Burden Buzz Spreading Like Wildfire at Bears Training Camp

The 2025 NFL season represents the start of a new era of Chicago Bears football, and through one week of training camp, there is one player who is currently generating more buzz than anyone. No, it’s not Caleb Williams, but it is a player on Ben Johnson’s offense. No, it’s not DJ Moore, but it is a pass-catcher. No, it’s not Colston Loveland, but it is a rookie. As if the title hadn’t given it away already, this is where I’m obligated to tell you, it’s Luther Burden.

Burden was the final Bears rookie to sign his first NFL contract, and the former Missouri Tiger took it right down to the eleventh hour before inking the deal. But this is a classic case of better late than ever, because it doesn’t seem as though the contract snafu has had a major impact on Burden’s performance on the field.

That’s not to say that everything has been perfect. A hamstring injury sidelined Burden for two months during the summer, giving him a limited amount of reps during a crucial time in his development. During practice on July 31, Ben Johnson pulled Burden out of a drill for lining up incorrectly. After practice, Burden was asked about the mistake, and he offered a response that was almost as impressive as his play on the field has been.

“I feel like I’ve got to know my stuff,” Burden said, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “He holds everybody to a high standard here. It’s great for us, great for the team, and that’s the standard here.”

Assuming these mental errors won’t persist, everything else that Burden has displayed in Lake Forest has been promising. Mark Carman of CHGO noted after Thursday’s practice that Burden “looked like the best receiver on the field.” Even Ben Johnson, who has been vocal about some of the mental errors that Burden has made, made sure to note what stood out to him after practice.

“He’s still working on the alignment and the details as you would expect for a young player, but the play-speed jumped off the tape to us all,” Johnson said.

Could Luther Burden Make a Run at Bears Rookie Records?

Right now, Luther Burden is likely to end up being slotted in as the number three receiver on Chicago’s depth chart. But if Burden continues to progress through the month of August, it’s reasonable to believe he could feast during his rookie season.

This raises a question that many Bears fans were asking last year too… how many rookie receiving records will end up being threatened this season? Last year, Rome Odunze didn’t get as close as Bears fans hoped he would, but even in the midst of a miserable offensive season, Odunze still managed to haul in 54 receptions for 734 yards, both which were fourth-most all-time time among Bears rookies.

Burden figures to get a similar target share as Odunze did last year, but his ability to play the slot in a Ben Johnson offense could mean even more balls are coming his way. It’s worth noting that Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 2021 Draft, found success in the slot immediately upon his arrival. And although he wasn’t yet the OC in Detroit, Ben Johnson was serving as the pass game coordinator for the Lions.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, rookie season: 90 receptions, 912 yards, 5 touchdowns

90 receptions would not just break the Bears rookie record for receptions, it would shatter it. That record is currently held by do-it-all running back Matt Forte, who caught 63 passes during the 2008 season.

Two Bears rookies have cleared the 1,000 yard mark during their rookie season… Harlon Hill (1,124 yards in 1954) and Mike Ditka (1,076 yards in 1961). So if Burden did manage to threaten those marks, it would be a long time coming and a welcome sign of things to come in the Windy City.