Luther Burden III's NFL career has been an uphill battle, even before he's taken his first official snaps. The Chicago Bears took the Missouri star with the No. 39 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he's dealt with injury problems ever since, derailing his offseason.
Burden suffered a hamstring injury May 20, the first day of the Bears' OTAs, and has yet to return to the field. However, Bears head coach Ben Johnson has provided a hopeful insight on Burden's progress, labeling him as day-to-day.
Ben Johnson says Luther Burden is still dealing with some soft tissue issues still. Hopes that he will be back soon. Burden is day-to-day. pic.twitter.com/woBCB1At4c
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) July 24, 2025
"We were very hopeful that he'd be ready to go Day 1," Bears coach Ben Johnson said Thursday. "But the soft tissue that he was dealing with there in the springtime lingered a little bit longer than we wanted. So really, it's day-to-day with him. Hopeful we'll get him out there fairly soon, though."
As the NFL regular season draws nearer, it's important for Burden to get on-field reps in with his new team to be ready for day one. He finds himself in an enticing situation, playing in Johnson's high-octane scheme, catching passes from 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and playing alongside talented pass-catchers D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze.
Burden possesses plenty of talent, and is expected to be a positive contributor the new-look Bears squad.
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