The Chicago Bears had a very good offense for the majority of the 2025 season. A testament to general manager Ryan Poles and the scouts for finding talent for Ben Johnson to come in and put his stamp on. One of Johnson’s first picks was Missouri WR Luther Burden. A talent that a good amount of draft scouts had as a late first-round talent. Bears got him with pick #39, and while the impact wasn’t immediate, the outcome was a pleasant reminder of just how talented Luther Burden is.
Bears HC Ben Johnson is buying Luther Burden stock. pic.twitter.com/gcSuB74DYt
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 28, 2026
Should We Be Buying Luther Burden Stock? Ben Johnson Thinks So
The coach is obviously gonna back his guy, but it is for a good reason. Sure, Burden’s numbers don’t light up the box scores. Burden finished with 47 receptions, 2 touchdowns, and 652 yards. However, in sports, there are always some underlying numbers that paint a better picture of why Burden is so loved by Bears coaches. His 2.71 yards per route ranked third out of a possible 152 wide receivers who ran over 100 routes.
While that doesn’t seem like a major deal, the yards after catch (YAC) certainly do. Coming out of college, Burden’s best trait was considered his ability to make something happen after he caught the ball. His 7.2 YAC was good enough for the 5th-best out of the same group. So his flashes are certainly there, and now there is an important reminder for everyone.
Second-Year Leap?
The famous line, “growth isn’t linear,” can be true. There is such a thing as the dreaded ‘sophomore slump,’ but all signs are pointing to a breakthrough, not a disappointment, of course, barring injury. He is slotted to at least be WR #2 at minimum to start. Some have already said he has a leap over Rome Odunze. The guy he is most battling for targets is the Bears’ 2025 1st round pick, Colston Loveland, who has excellent hands and route running for days.
The Bears’ depth has been increased through multiple drafts of premium assets being spent on the offensive side of the ball. You got the aforementioned Loveland, Rome Odunze picked at #9, Caleb Williams taken at #1 overall, etc. Lots of money has been spent to make sure the Bears’ offensive line is legit and capable of running through teams, especially in the playoffs. Burden is poised and ready to make that jump to WR #1 status.
There are questions that remain about the Bears, though most are on the defensive side, but offensively, there are still a couple that will get answered. Can Colston Loveland recapture his rookie year magic? Can 13 personnel be a much bigger factor for the Bears in 2026? Will Odunze or Burden take hold of the top WR slot early? Can Caleb Williams take another leap in year 3 under Ben Johnson?
Burden should be a factor in what the Bears’ 2026 season looks like. Remaining healthy and focused is what Ben Johnson has preached and wants his team to be about. His talent level can be taken to another level, but it is up to him for that to come true. After all, Odunze is the other WR gunning for becoming Caleb’s go-to guy, and coming off his 2025 season, there is a lot of skepticism coming from everyone.
Buy Your Stock
If there is any doubt in your mind, though, even through all those questions, just listen to Ben Johnson speak. He sees the team better than anyone, and when he says you should be buying Luther Burden stock even though we are only in early OTA’s, then best take his advice. We will see, though, come September if Burden can back up his coach’s talk.
Main Image: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
