![Dec 7, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) rushes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. \](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_1136,y_600,w_3408,h_1917/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/258/01kbzckhp2a626j45xtq.jpg "Dec 7, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) rushes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. \")
The Chicago Bears couldn't get past the Green Bay Packers in arguably the biggest game of the season on Sunday. And while the Bears should still make the playoffs, they will probably need to win out down the stretch to take the NFC North.
However, as tough as the loss was, not everything was negative. Rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III had another strong outing, stepping up without Rome Odunze and proving that he can be the primary focus of the passing game. That's great news for everybody not named DJ Moore.
Luther Burden Is Playing DJ Moore Out of Chicago
The Bears will have to pay DJ Moore roughly $23.5 million per year through 2029, his age-32 season. They haven't gotten that type of production from him, as he's up to just 39 receptions on 66 targets for 498 yards and three receiving touchdowns. He also has 14 carries for 67 yards and one touchdown, but that still isn't enough to justify his WR1-like cap hit.
Moore had a chance to step up and prove that he was a reliable option for this team, since Odunze was out with an injury. Instead, he had one reception on three targets for a four-yard loss. Burden, on the other hand, paced the team with 67 receiving yards, and all four of his receptions went for first downs. He also tallied a backfield carry for the third straight game.
It was Burden's fifth game with at least three receptions and his fourth in a row with five-plus targets. While he still needs to work on his chemistry with quarterback Caleb Williams, the first-year pro is clearly trending in the right direction and would benefit from an extended workload, all while Moore could be the perfect trade bait in the offseason.
Despite playing far fewer snaps, Burden has 30 catches on 40 targets for 395 yards and one score, so he's not that far behind Moore in terms of production. The rookie playmaker has also clearly outperformed his veteran counterpart since the start of Week 10:
Targets | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Yards Per Catch | TDs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DJ Moore | 22 | 9 | 95 | 10.6 | 2 |
Luther Burden III | 25 | 17 | 224 | 13.2 | 0 |
Outside of Moore's two TDs during that stretch, it's clear that Burden has been a bigger factor in the Bears' passing game for the next month or so. If Chicago is confident that the ex-Missouri WR can do Moore's job better than him, an offseason split makes sense — especially when a post-June 1 trade can unleash $24.5 million in freed-up cap space, per Spotrac.
Moore was expected to be the team's primary pass-catcher, and given his strong seasons before this one, some might feel like it's just a matter of fit. Other teams will probably be willing to roll the dice on him and hope that he can return to his strong ways.
The Bears, on the other hand, had a rising star in Luther Burden III. They need to keep him more involved in the passing game, and with his improved play in extended opportunities, he should have plenty of opportunities to showcase his skills moving forward, especially if Moore is out of the Windy City come 2026.