Chicago Bears rookie outlook: Where does Luther Burden III's electric playmaking best fit in with WR corps?

Chicago Tribune

12 hours ago

Four wide receivers were selected in the first round of the NFL draft in April. Luther Burden III was not among them.
In the second round, when the 39th pick came around and Burden was still available, coach Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears were happy to swoop in. The move came as somewhat of a surprise, given that the Bears already had DJ Moore and Rome Odunze on the roster. Johnson saw a chance to add a playmaker.
Here's what Bears fans need to know about Burden before rookies report to training camp July 19.
Burden expected to hear his name during the first round. That has provided motivation for the 21-year-old receiver. After not becoming one of the 32 first-round picks, Burden posted to social media a picture from his workout at the Missouri football facility after midnight on draft night.
On Day 2, the Bears tried to trade up one spot with the New England Patriots when Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson was still available, as documented in the Patriots' in-house video production. The Patriots declined and selected Henderson 38th. The Bears pivoted and selected Burden.
'It was clear he was the most talented player on the board,' general manager Ryan Poles said shortly after drafting Burden. 'We think he's an electric player, playmaker, highly competitive, and the run after the catch is special, probably best in this class. When you add that to the group that we have, things get pretty exciting.'
Burden grew up in St. Louis. His grandfather Luther 'Ticky' Burden played for the New York Knicks in the 1970s, and his father, Luther Burden II, played basketball at Saint Louis University.
Burden III played basketball and football in high school. He originally went to Cardinal Ritter College Prep in St. Louis before transferring across the Mississippi River to East St. Louis and instantly becoming the top recruit in Illinois in the Class of 2022.
Burden received more than three dozen scholarship offers and at one point committed to play for Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma. That could've paired him with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who was a freshman for the Sooners in 2021. But in August 2021, Burden decommitted from Oklahoma and flipped to Missouri a few months later.
With the Tigers, Burden had a huge breakout season as a sophomore in 2023 with 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. He helped the Tigers to an 11-2 record that season. His production wasn't quite the same last season (61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns) for an offense that struggled in the passing game.
In Johnson's eyes, an offense never can have too many weapons. Burden was a playmaker at Missouri, even if his statistical production took a dip in 2024. He's a weapon with the football in his hands.
The question becomes how Burden mixes in with returning receivers Moore and Odunze. With Keenan Allen out of the picture, the Bears lost their primary slot receiver from 2024.
Burden saw significant action in the slot at Missouri, and that could be a natural fit for him. The Tigers played him as a wideout during his freshman season, then transitioned him to the slot ahead of his breakout season in 2023.
Missouri wide receivers coach Jacob Peeler felt the slot 'was probably more of his natural position.'
During minicamp and organized team activities this spring, Johnson stressed that roles still were being formed. How Johnson divvies up the responsibilities for his top receivers will be one of the most intriguing things to watch during training camp.
Burden likely will compete for the slot role with veteran Olamide Zaccheaus, whom the Bears signed to a one-year deal in free agency.
Peeler took the receivers coach job at Missouri in January 2022 — the same month Burden arrived on campus. He coached Burden throughout his college career.
Peeler attributed Burden's drop in production in 2024 to several things. Opponents made a concerted effort to stop him after his 1,200-yard season. Also, quarterback Brady Cook was dealing with a wrist injury that affected his throwing motion throughout the second half of the season.
'The one thing I was impressed with (Burden), he never let it get to him,' Peeler said. 'He never got frustrated to the point where it was ever a detriment. Most receivers either always want the ball or otherwise they're playing the wrong position. But he was a great teammate, never once got frustrated to the point that I even saw it.'
Peeler believes Burden's familiarity with man coverage in the SEC will help him make a quick transition to the NFL. As the receivers coach at Mississippi from 2017-19, Peeler coached DK Metcalf and A.J. Brown, but he said Burden is the best he ever coached in terms of creating yards after the catch.
'He rarely allows the first defender to tackle him,' Peeler said.
The man tasked with drawing the best out of Burden is new Bears wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El. The 45-year-old Randle El, who also serves as Johnson's assistant head coach, was himself was a second-round pick coming out of Indiana and went on to a nine-year NFL career.
In Randle El, Burden sees a path he can follow.
'I feel like he is going to bring the best out of me,' Burden said. 'I've seen his past history. He's a guy who's been in my shoes, so he knows what to expect and different ways how to handle it.'
Randle El, a Chicago-area native, will be instrumental in helping Johnson carve out those roles for his wide receivers. He spent the last four years as the Detroit Lions receivers coach, mentoring Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams among other.
Like No. 10 pick Colston Loveland, Burden missed all of OTAs and mandatory minicamp because of an injury. He suffered what Johnson described as a soft-tissue injury during rookie minicamp and never saw the field again. So first and foremost, Burden must prove he's healthy.
Time is of the essence, too, because Burden needs to develop chemistry with Williams on the field. They can talk things out in meeting rooms and role-play during walk-throughs, but it's not the same as building that chemistry at game speed.
'It's a shame that he got dinged up and missed all that time because, for a young player, it's really where you get the most reps, and you can get better in a hurry that way,' Johnson said.
Burden will need to prove he can thrive in Johnson's offense and carve out a role beside Moore and Odunze. If he's destined for the slot, he'll have to beat out a seventh-year veteran in Zaccheaus.
Beyond that, the Bears want to see more of Burden's trademark playmaking abilities.