The Chicago Bears entered the Bye Week with a 2-2 record, and relative to the play on both ends of the field, Ben Johnson must be happy with that through four weeks. The extra week of rest will give the Bears a chance to regroup, work on areas for improvement, and make any necessary roster moves. With a big enough sample size to evaluate his players, Johnson will likely make some tweaks in personnel usage after the bye week, starting with Monday Night Football trip to Washington to take on the Commanders.
On the offensive side of the ball, one player is forcing Johnson's hand as he has earned more snaps through the first four weeks of the season. Despite being productive in his snaps, the rookie receiver's playing time has been limited, as he's seen the field in just 25% of Chicago's offensive snaps. The rookie has had a big role on special teams, returning eight kicks for 223 yards. That average of 27.9 yards per return ranks seventh in the NFL, displaying the explosive playmaking ability and athletic tools possessed by the team's second-round draft pick.
It's Time For Ben Johnson to Unleash Luther Burden III
When given a chance and the targets, Luther Burden III has been effective. In Week 3 against the Cowboys, he broke out with three catches, 101 yards, and a touchdown, but was back to being an afterthought against the Raiders, finishing with only two targets. Yet, it's obvious that Ben Johnson's trust in him is growing, as his 12 snaps on passing plays were the highest of the season.
Despite his role increasing from week to week, Burden remains the Bear's WR4. In fact, with Cole Kmet getting force-fed targets, the rookie WR is the fifth option in the passing game. DJ Moore, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Rome Odunze all have more than twice the offensive snaps and targets that Burden does for the season. This needs to change in favor of Burden after the bye, as demonstrated by his 68.5 receiving grade on Pro Football Focus, ranking him third on the team behind only Odunze and Zaccheaus.
Another way to get Burden more snaps could be to use more 10 personnel, meaning deploying four WRs on the field without a tight end. The Bears have yet to try that this season, and it's not something Ben Johnson has tested during his stint in Detroit, either. Considering his creative play-calling and offensive system, though, that could certainly be a way to get Burden more involved without cutting Odunze, Zaccheaus, and Moore's snaps.
Burden will almost certainly get more of a look starting in Week 6 against the Commanders. At whose expense that will come remains to be seen, but Bears fans should brace for the breakout of their dynamic second-round pick.