The Chicago Bears have extremely high expectations going into the 2026 NFL season. After a remarkable turnaround under head coach Ben Johnson last year, they’ll be hoping to carry that momentum forward, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
After moving on from DJ Moore, though, the onus is going to be on the rest of the receiving corps to help them take that leap. Unfortunately, an injury to Luther Burden III may have complicated matters somewhat for the franchise.
What Is Luther Burden III’s Injury?
A second-round pick for the Bears last season, Burden established himself as a key cog in their philosophy over the course of the year. He finished the season with 652 yards and two touchdowns, despite starting just five games.
A lethal weapon after the catch, it was easy to imagine him having an even bigger role in the offense in 2026. However, near the start of training camp, the second-year wideout received a blow in the form of a groin injury that seemed pretty serious.
Nearly two and a half weeks ago, on August 8, Burden went down in practice after a hard collision with Tyrique Stevenson. As a result, he limped off the field and didn’t return for team drills or at any other point during the practice.
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It was later reported that he had a groin injury that was going to keep him out for about a month. Given the timing of the blow, it put his status for the start of the regular season in question.
When Will Burden Return?
With the explosive offense that Johnson likes to employ, the Bears did not have a single wide receiver tally over 700 yards. Burden was still third among the team leaders, behind Moore and Rome Odunze, but he wasn’t that far off from first place.
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That was reflected in PFN’s Wide Receiver Impact Metric, where he finished at number 31, just behind Odunze at 30 and ahead of Moore at 40. As a result, with Moore gone, his role and importance to the offense were only going to increase this season.
Thankfully, the Bears won’t have to be without him for long. Nearly three weeks after the injury, Kaitlin Sharkey of WGN-TV Chicago confirmed on X that Burden was active during practices on August 26.
“Good news for the Bears, Luther Burden was back at practice today for the first time since suffering a groin injury August 8th,” Sharkley shared.
But there are a few more steps for Burden before he is officially in the lineup when Week 1 rolls around.
Thankfully, with nearly two weeks to spare, the signs are incredibly positive that he will be on the field when the Bears take on the Carolina Panthers on September 13 at 1 p.m. ET to open their season.
