Behind Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III was arguably the most exciting prospect making his NFL debut on Monday Night Football.
Except… he hasn’t really done anything. Save for a solid kickoff return to end the first half, Burden has been completely absent from the Bears’ offensive game plan. Six Bears have recorded a catch, and Burden hasn’t been one of them.
So, what’s going on with the rookie wideout?
Is Chicago Bears’ Rookie Receiver Luther Burden III Hurt?
Burden was a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, joining D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze in a vaunted Bears receiving corps.
‘Bout that time pic.twitter.com/zT78gqzJg4
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 8, 2025
Unfortunately, his debut hasn’t gone as planned, as quarterback Caleb Williams has yet to target him. In fact, he’s played just a few snaps on offense, with Olamide Zaccheaus serving as the WR3 in head coach Ben Johnson’s offense thus far.
As far as publicly available information goes, Burden isn’t known to be hurt. He wasn’t listed on the injury report at any point leading up to this game.
During his collegiate career at Missouri, the 21-year-old receiver caught 192 passes for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also rushed 34 times for 234 yards during his three seasons on campus, which could make him a perfect fit in a gadget role in Johnson’s high-flying, trick-play-heavy offense.
It’s not terribly surprising that Burden isn’t getting a ton of playing time. In 2024, the Detroit Lions (Johnson’s old team) had two games in which a third receiver didn’t earn a single target, and in 15 of 17 games, that role didn’t reach five targets.
With Zaccheaus seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order, Burden’s opportunities will be limited in the Bears offense, especially if Johnson continues to favor 12 personnel with both of his tight ends (Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland) on the field.
He still possesses immense potential, but there’s a crowded receiver room in Chicago. He’ll have to earn his chances in his rookie campaign.
At the very least, Burden has been active on special teams. He and Devin Duvernay have split kick return duties, and Burden had an explosive return at the end of the first half, running the ball back 44 yards as time expired.
That role could be his best chance to make an impact right now; he returned 24 punts in college, including one for a touchdown during his rookie season in 2022.
