Luther Burden III, the Chicago Bears’ second-year wide receiver, just took a massive gut punch, suffering a groin injury during a red zone one-on-one rep at Saturday’s practice. He’s expected to miss about a month, meaning the entire preseason is a no-go for the guy Chicago was pinning huge hopes on. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was also involved in the play, but he’s already back at practice, leaving Burden gingerly walking to the locker room with trainers. Rough.
A Breakout Derailed?
This is a brutal blow for a player who was already making serious noise. With DJ Moore now gone to Buffalo, Burden was set to headline the receiving corps for Caleb Williams, playing alongside Rome Odunze. Chicago’s head coach Ben Johnson was literally “buying stock” in Burden earlier this offseason, raving about his “electric” approach. Johnson specifically called out his “numerous explosive plays” and how he was “finishing every single rep” in Phase 2, carrying that intensity into practice. The coach said Burden’s in a “really good spot,” developing his route tree and being “extremely coachable.” It feels like the air just got sucked out of that early momentum. Zavion Thomas and Jahdae Walker are now in line to get a lot more reps while Burden is out.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Shadow and Those Unforgettable Rookie Numbers
Look, the dude’s legit. In his first NFL season, Burden caught 47 passes for 652 yards and two touchdowns across 15 games, even after missing two contests with a concussion and an ankle issue. But here’s the part that really got everyone in the league talking, especially us here in the Emerald City: Burden ranked third among wide receivers in yards per route run with 2.71, minimum 200 routes. Who was ahead of him? Only Puka Nacua and our own Offensive Player of the Year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. That 2.71 YPRR was actually the most by any rookie wide receiver in the last ten seasons, surpassing guys like A.J. Brown, Justin Jefferson, and Ja’Marr Chase. Seriously, what a list to be on! The CBS Sports Fantasy Football team was projecting a huge leap for him this year, too, putting him at WR27 with 73 catches, 1,057 yards, and six touchdowns. All that potential is now on pause.
The Bears are crossing their fingers, hoping their former No. 39 overall pick can heal up quick and somehow make it back for the Sept. 13 season opener against the Carolina Panthers. Missing the entire preseason is far from ideal, especially when you’re trying to build chemistry with a young quarterback. This is a tough pill to swallow for Chicago, and you gotta wonder how much this setback will impact Burden’s much-anticipated breakout year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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