New video shows Chicago Bears rookie Luther Burden's underrated work ethic

Burden missed most of the Chicago Bears' 2025 offseason workout program with what was described as a soft-tissue injury, but there's been no indication that he'll be restricted at the start of training camp.

That's good news for the Bears and new coach Ben Johnson, who envision Burden being a major factor in 2025.

The former Missouri star was projected to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he slid to No. 39 overall after questions about his commitment and work ethic arose during the 2024 season. The fact thate he regressed to just 61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns didn't help.

"Burden is outstanding after the catch and is an instinctive open field runner with the foot speed to make multiple defenders miss," ESPN's Steve Muench wrote before the 2025 draft. "He explodes upfield and pulls away when he gets a seam. He averaged 12.8 yards per carry in 2024. He tracks the deep ball well and is a threat to take the top off the coverage. Burden's hands are small, but he doesn't drop many passes -- he can secure the ball away from his frame and comes down with contested catches. He changes speeds well and has the potential to develop into a complete route runner at the NFL level. Burden also excels at attacking zone looks."

There's no denying Burden's first-round talent, and when combined with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, the Chicago Bears could field one of the NFL's most explosive wide receiver trios.

Chicago signed Luther Burden to the first-ever fully guaranteed contract for a player selected with the 39th pick, avoiding what many thought could turn into an ugly contract holdout. That's ancient history now, and Burden is beginning to prove that any questions about his commitment to the sport were overblown.