The Chicago Bears have high hopes for their offense this season. First-year head coach Ben Johnson plans to implement a scheme that brings the best out of second-year quarterback Caleb Williams.
One of the reasons why the vibes are high entering the 2025 campaign is the additions Chicago GM Ryan Poles made around Williams to make his life easier. What Poles could not have anticipated happening is an injury to one of those new faces.
Unfortunately, that is what has happened to second-round pick Luther Burden III. Per ESPN's Courtney Cronin, the former SEC standout was absent from the practice field on Wednesday due to what the team has described as a "soft tissue injury." ESPN's Courney Cronin added Burden appeared to get hurt after landing on a ball during drills, which preceded his absence.
Having a soft tissue injury that will keep Burden away from the field for an unknown period is not the best update to receive. However, for it to be something that Johnson would casually discuss with the media without any level of "coach speak" included should ease concerns.
Burden III is entering the NFL with a chip on his shoulder after falling to the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft and seeing five other wide receivers selected ahead of him. The former University of Missouri standout has already vowed to make the rest of the league pay for their mistake, and he should have ample opportunity to do that with the playmakers around him in the Windy City.
Bears fans will be on the lookout for updates on Burden III's status moving forward. While this does not sound like anything that will prevent him from being on the field this fall once the season kicks off, it would be beneficial for the wideout to get as much on-field work as possible during this portion of the offseason program.