Ben Johnson recently was quoted saying that he'd be buying Luther Burden stock. Johnson's endorsement is important, given his reputation as an offensive mind and coach. That sort of praise coming from your head coach when you're on the brink of a potentially breakout season is an immensely positive signal.
Ben Johnson's endorsement adds fuel to growing Luther Burden hype
That's exactly the scenario that BleacherReport cited when they published an article about year two wide receivers and whether or not to buy stock in them. Burden has seemingly collected a resounding yes, but the praise goes beyond Coach Johnson's comments.
Multiple NFL Insiders and pundits all agree that Burden has arrived at a threshold in his career, much the same as Rome Odunze. But as Rome Odunze is dealing with a lingering foot injury, Burden could potentially have the edge. A scenario where Burden overtakes Odunze for the WR1 spot is certainly in the ether, and the more we're hearing from OTAs, the more it seems likely.
Coach Johnson has repeatedly praised Burden's ability to be coached, a skill that seems to be exceedingly rare in the NFL these days. With the departure of DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills this offseason, a clear path for the top spot is in Burden's sights, and having the head coach's approval may just be enough to get him there.
It's noteworthy that we're still months away from any real decisions to be made. It's also worth pointing out that Coach Johnson has repeatedly claimed that falling in love with a player in the spring/summer doesn't exactly track into the season with full emphasis. But the Bears invested heavily into Burden for a reason.
Burden still has to prove it when the games begin, but it's easy to understand why so many people are buying into the hype. Between Ben Johnson's repeated praise, the opportunity created by DJ Moore's departure, and Burden's own development entering year two, the pieces are starting to fall into place. If he continues building momentum throughout training camp, Bears fans may soon find themselves agreeing with Johnson and Bleacher Report that Luther Burden stock is a worthwhile investment.
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