With Ben Johnson taking over as head coach, the Chicago Bears will be one of the most talked about teams in the NFL during training camp. When the spotlight is on Chicago, one Bears rookie must prove he can handle the bright lights.
Fans haven’t seen much of second-rounder Luther Burden lately, as a soft tissue injury held him out of OTAs and minicamp. While Burden has plenty of potential, Johnson is instilling a complex offensive scheme. Any time the receiver misses can’t be made up in terms of his NFL acclimation.
Every player on the Bears will be looking to prove themselves to Johnson. But after so much missed time, Damian Parson of Bleacher Report argues Burden is one of the six rookies under the most pressure entering training camp.
“Needless to say, the 21-year-old must catch up quickly in training camp,” Parson wrote. “He is also unsigned due to contract disputes over guaranteed money (a theme is building).
“Burden doesn’t need a slow start to camp because fans will not be as forgiving, and his coaching staff needs to trust him,” he concluded.
Luther Burden’s role in offense
The Bears already had a pair of potent receivers in DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Both are expected to operate on the outside and be premier targets for quarterback Caleb Williams. While Johnson will surely shuffle his offense around, Burden is expected to operate predominantly in the slot.
It’s a role he filled successfully over his three years at Missouri. Over 38 games, the receiver caught 192 passes for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns. His breakout season came as a junior, when Burden set new career-highs in receptions (86), yardage (1,212) and touchdowns (nine). Burden was named First-team All-SEC, earning the same honor as a senior.
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, Burden was considered arguably the best after-the-catch receiver in the class. Johnson has undoubtedly been thinking of ways to get the receiver open in space. Furthermore, the fact Chicago used their first second-round pick on Burden despite the presence of Moore and Odunze is telling.
Johnson cannot fully envision the impact Burden will make until he is back on the field. Training camp will give the rookie an opportunity to show how strong he can be in the offense.
Johnson changes Chicago Bears passing plans
Before coming to the Bears, Johnson served as offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. During the 2024 campaign, Detroit finished second in passing, averaging 263.2 yards per game. In turn, Chicago finished second-to-last, averaging 181.5 YPG.
The Bears changed play callers more than once during Williams’ rookie campaign. Furthermore Matt Eberflus, who became the first Chicago head coach to be fired midseason, was defensive-minded. While Williams’ faults have been clearly documented, the Bears weren’t in a place to succeed in 2024.
But now, their head coach is considered one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. When it comes to passing, both Amon-Ra St. Brown (1,263) and Jameson Williams (1,001) broke 1,000+ yards and scored at least seven touchdowns in his final year with the Lions. And that’s with tight end Sam LaPorta gaining 726 yards and seven touchdowns in his own right.
It’ll take time for Johnson to bring those types of fireworks to Chicago, but it’s clear a plan is in place. If Burden can get healthy and back on the field, the Bears will only be scarier when Williams drops back to pass.
Even Packers insiders believe in Chicago Bears’ revival
Read MoreFor More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
