The Chicago Bears finally have a clear timeline for Luther Burden after ESPN's Adam Schefter offered that "Chicago WR LutherBurden III is expected to miss the preseason due to the strained groin injury he suffered Saturday, but the Bears believe he should be back for the team’s regular-season opener vs. the Panthers, per sources." This is a better update than first feared, as it appears that the pass catcher isn't expected to miss any meaningful reps, and there is already a level of clear chemistry and trust with Caleb Williams.
With that said, there should be zero hesitation from Chicago's decision-makers to bench Burden in the first weeks of the season if his health is in question. The receiver is simply far too important to the Bears offense to risk him coming back at anything less than one hundred percent. This is headlined by the fact that each of the first two games on Chicago's schedule are incredibly winnable, as the franchise is slated to face the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 and division rival the Minnesota Vikings the following week.
Neither of these matchups are games that the Bears should lose, whether or not Burden is on the field. The Bears have incredibly deep playmaking talent, with Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, D'Andre Swift, and Kyle Monangai being more than capable of carrying the offense against lesser NFC teams.
Bears Should Take Extremely Cautious Approach with Luther Burden's Return Date
If Burden is healthy, there is no question he should be on the field in what is expected to be a breakout season. The point here is understanding that Burden's value shouldn't prevent Chicago from looking at the big picture and understanding that if there is even a small risk of re-injury or it hampering the pass catcher, it is better to provide extra rest rather than force the issue.
With DJ Moore now Josh Allen's primary target with the Buffalo Bills, the Bears need Burden healthy to go on a potential Super Bowl run. If there is a path for Chicago to get past the heavy favorite Los Angeles Rams, it involves having all of their playmakers at their absolute best, and Burden making good on breakout expectations.
Caution is the right approach here even with the knowledge that Chicago has sky high expectations for the speedy pass catcher. Burden's impact isn't in question, but the franchise has to understand the importance of this impact and if it in the best interest of Burden, be willing to force the pass catcher to sit an extra week or two if he isn't fully healthy by Week 1.
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