One of the more impressive displays of Chicago Bears training camp has been the performance of rookie second-round pick Luther Burden III. Moreover, Burden is not shy about letting it be known just what will happen if he is not defended accordingly.
Burden was once touted as a potential first-round pick. He fell to the Bears at No. 39 overall amid concerns about his practice habits and a supposed diva attitude.
Then he injured his hamstring in rookie minicamp and missed the rest of the offseason program.
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Burden’s absence admittedly put him behind the eight ball, with Bears head coach Ben Johnson noting at one point that he had “missed a lot.”
That has shown up since Burden has returned. Most noticeably, Burden has had to be corrected on his alignment. Johnson and the Bears assistant coaches, and even some of Burden’s teammates, have gotten on him in practice for one thing or another.
But they have also lauded him for his work to catch up and ability on the field. They clearly trust his playmaking ability. Unfortunately for the Buffalo Bills in the Bears’ 38-0 win on Sunday, they did not.
“I get too much space, it’s going to be a problem,” Burden told Clocker Sports on Sunday.
Burden is a smooth route runner with strong hands. But he also showed his willingness – and effectiveness – as a blocker. Burden helped clear paths on rushing touchdowns by running backs Brittain Brown and Ian Wheeler. In the passing game, Burden said the key is playing “fast.”
“I just go out there, play fast,” Burden said after his three-reception, 49-yard night. “Everything else going to take care of itself.”
He had a 2-29-0 line in the Bears’ 24-24 tie with the Miami Dolphins in the preseason opener.
Burden is currently behind veteran free agent pickup Olamide Zaccheaus. The latter took a short pass from Caleb Williams for a 36-yard touchdown against the Bills. Zaccheaus was also held out of the opener along with the other starters.
Still, Burden looks like a strong “sixth man” for a Bears wide receiver corps headlined by DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.
Speculative Bears Trade Target Trey Hendrickson in Complicated Situation
The Bears have frequently been linked to Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson, the reigning sack champion who requested a trade amid dissatisfaction with his current one-year, $21 million contract.
This is despite the Bears having Montez Sweat in Year 2 of a four-year, $98 million deal and signing Dayo Odeyingbo to a pact worth $48 million over three years.
Spotrac also projects the Bears will be $5.9 million over the salary cap in 2026.
They can move money around like every team does, but there is an even more complicated hurdle the Bears would have to overcome to land Hendrickson, and that is his complicated relationship with the Bengals.
The Bengals have entertained trade offers. They are rumored to be seeking a first-round draft pick and a young defensive player in return for the 30-year-old four-time Pro Bowler.
They have also agreed on the years and the total amount of a potential new deal.
All of that clouds how serious the Bengals are about trading Hendrickson, and that is before considering the Bears’ situation.
Notably, 2024 fifth-round pick Austin Booker [knee], who has 4.0 sacks this preseason, and 2022 fifth-rounder Dominique Robinson [ankle], who Johnson praised during the offseason program, both left Sunday’s contest with injuries.
Bears Get Clarity on Preseason Finale
The Bears will hit the road for the first time in their final game of the preseason. They will take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said his team’s starters will at least do that before turning over the reins to the backups.
Johnson left the door open for a similar decision.
Teams will get one week off before the regular season. The Bears will host the Minnesota Vikings on “Monday Night Football.”
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores called blitzes at the league’s highest rate during the 2024 regular season, per Pro Football Reference. The Chiefs and DC Steve Spagnuolo ranked fourth. That potentially makes them a good final test for Williams and the Bears’ starting offense.
Facing Patrick Mahomes would be a good test for the Bears’ defense, too.