Unlike his predecessor, Matt Eberflus, new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson isn’t afraid to give blunt assessments about what he thinks of the team’s progression during practices.
On Tuesday, Johnson offered honesty about where Luther Burden III is at in learning the offense after returning to practice on Monday for the first time since rookie minicamp in May. The No. 39 pick in April’s draft dealt with a hamstring issue this spring and summer.
Luther Burden III is behind at the Chicago Bears training camp
Johnson doesn’t like that Burden is behind in knowing where to be on the field during the second week of training camp.
“It shows up already,” Johnson said of Burden missing time this offseason, via Adam Hoge of CHGO Bears. “I mean, we were in the walk-through yesterday afternoon and the misalignments – we have to re-huddle, we have to start it all over again. He’s a little bit behind right now.”
Ben Johnson has some Vic Fangio in him and I'm here for it.
On the time Luther Burden has missed:
"It shows up already. I mean, we were in the walk-through yesterday afternoon and the misalignments – we have to re-huddle, we have to start it all over again. He’s a little bit…
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) July 29, 2025
Johnson didn’t like that Burden was inside with the training staff during OTAs instead of being out on the field watching practice. That time in the training room has caught up with Burden. He’s a gifted athlete, but there’s more to the NFL than speed and agility if he wants playing time in a complex offense that has a lot of pre-snap motion.
While one player is seriously behind, some players are starting to catch up.
Caleb Williams is getting up to speed
Johnson did have praise for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams on Tuesday. Johnson has seen “growth” from the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft.
“I probably just see growth,” Johnson said. “He is so much more comfortable right now. Even yesterday — the walk-through — in terms of moving around. We go from gun to under (center) to the tight ends are moving, the receivers are moving… He’s doing the work behind the scenes that no one else is seeing and we’re starting to see the dividends being paid from it.”
It could be a while before Williams and Burden are on the same page.
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Chicago Bears coach screams at receiver, kicks him out of drill
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