Training camp is here, and one of the loudest buzzes around the Bears is centered on Luther Burden III. The hype has been building all offseason, and Ryan Poles made it clear he’s buying in.
Poles had a chance to speak with the media, and he used part of that session to praise the second-year wideout in a big way. “If there’s a guy that I’m really excited about, it’s Luther Burden, just because of how much he’s grown from the day he walked in this building," Poles said via The Score's Chris Emma.
"I mean, I heard he was just texting and calling these quarterbacks just looking for an arm to throw to him every day of the week. The guy loves football, he’s passionate about it.
He wants to helps this team win, and he wants to be the absolute best receiver he can possibly be. You can feel the fire inside of him, and I’m excited to see that show up.”
That kind of endorsement lines up with what Burden showed last season, when he finished with 652 yards and two touchdowns. His early-season role was limited, with bubble screens doing most of the work and not producing much. But once Rome Odunze got hurt, Burden’s usage changed, and he started flashing the speed and playmaking ability that made him such a talked-about name in the first place.
The path in front of him is wide open. DJ Moore is gone, which leaves Burden in the WR2 spot, while Odunze moves into the top role. Some around the team think Burden could finish the season as the Bears’ No. 1 receiver.
He’s not the only one who seems ready for that jump. Caleb Williams is on board with Burden having a strong year, and Ben Johnson also made it clear during OTAs that he’s part of the hype around the young receiver.
Still, the next step is on Burden himself. The talent is obvious, but 2026 has to be the year he puts it together with consistency, production, and more of the yards after the catch that can turn good plays into big ones.
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