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The Chicago Bears made a major addition to their offense when they selected tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 overall pick. Then, they decided to double down by drafting wide receiver Luther Burden with the No. 39 overall pick.
New head coach Ben Johnson is trying to bring some offensive fireworks to Chicago, and Burden provides it in spades. Joining DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, the Bears now have one of the scariest wide receiver trios in the league. Add Loveland and fellow tight end Cole Kmet into the mix, and Chicago looks much more dynamic on offense.
Keeping their plans secret
Maybe Johnson was envisioning Burden in his offense all along. However, he didn’t make those intentions clear to the wide receiver. While he is excited to begin his Bears tenure, he says he didn’t have much communication with the team before the draft, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.
“Luther Burden said that he didn’t talk to the Bears much in the pre-draft process and was 'surprised' that Chicago drafted him,” Cronin posted on X.
Luther Burden said that he didn't talk to the Bears much in the pre-draft process and was "surprised" that Chicago drafted him.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) April 26, 2025
Luther Burden further bolsters the Chicago Bears offense
Perhaps Burden was simply the best player available on Chicago’s big board. Running back TreVeyon Henderson went to the New England Patriots a pick before, making a key target unavailable. Rather than reach for a running back or at a different position, the Bears decided to simply add talent.
Over his three years at Missouri, Burden caught 192 passes for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns. He burst onto the scene in 2023, setting new career-highs in receptions (86), yardage (1,212) and touchdowns (nine). Burden was named First-team All-SEC, just like he was in 2024.
Burden went on to dazzle at the combine, running a 4.41 40-yard dash. The Bears are clearly enamored by his athleticism and playmaking ability. Furthermore, Burden received a comparison to current New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. The Bears will have found a steal if Burden can put up that kind of production.
“Former five-star recruit who offers five-star athleticism and playmaking ability. Burden is a natural on the field with above-average speed and exciting ball skills to win at a high rate,” Zierlein wrote. “He takes snaps off and short-circuits routes if he’s not the primary option, but he can separate and succeed on all three levels when it’s his time.”
“Missouri exploited Burden’s yards-after-catch talent with a barrage of short throws, but NFL teams are much more likely to diversify his usage, activating his complete skill set and big-play potential,” Zierlein concluded. “The production against top teams was uneven at times, but so was Missouri’s quarterback play. Burden checks several priority boxes that typically foreshadow an impressive NFL career.”
The Bears are set to look completely different in year one of the Johnson era. If everything goes to plan, Burden will become a lethal threat for Chicago out of the slot. Quarterback Caleb Williams was certainly excited by the selection.
More must-reads:
- Bears draft TE Colston Loveland at No. 10
- Bears' second-round pick completes return on trade for Bryce Young
- The 'Chicago Bears head coaches' quiz
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Observations from Dallas Cowboys' first padded practice: Tyler Booker handles business, late-round rookie impresses, and more
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Two Rivals Emerge as Trade Suitors for Penguins' Erik Karlsson: Report
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been a team that opposing sides have been watching all offseason long. Pittsburgh has a few veteran players who could be on the move via trade, and it could see the front office be very active. With the Penguins in full rebuild mode, the team seems to be looking ahead to the future. One player that has been discussed in different deals is veteran defenseman Erik Karlsson. Karlsson still has two years remaining on his current contract, including this upcoming season. The veteran is owed $11.5 million in each year, so any team that would trade for him would need to take on his high salary. According to NHL insider Shayna Goldman, the options for the Penguins in any potential Karlsson trade have started to dwindle. But the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators were mentioned as potential options to land the star defender. Last season with the Penguins, Karlsson scored 11 goals and 42 assists over 82 games. Karlsson showed impressive production for Pittsburgh, and he could be a valuable asset to any team that would trade for him. At this point in his career, Karlsson likely wants to play for a contending team. Both the Hurricanes and Senators could provide him with this, with both sides making the playoffs last season. Pittsburgh could likely net some strong future assets in any Karlsson deal, giving them more of a path forward. Trading for a player like Karlsson could be risky due to his age, but this could also be a move to help push a team over the hump in the quest to win a Stanley Cup title.
Lakers' Luka Doncic Going Viral for Shocking Body Transformation
The Los Angeles Lakers have been very invested in getting Luka Doncic into better shape this offseason. After how poorly he played defense and how tired he looked against Minnesota in the playoffs, it has been their top priority. Doncic has never been the most fit player in the league. He is still one of the best players in the league, but he could be a lot better if he were less tired at the end of the season. So far this offseason, it looks like Doncic has been committed to the training program that the Lakers put him on. He looks like an entirely different player. More news: NBA Insider Reveals Why Bradley Beal Spurned Lakers for Clippers A video of Doncic has been circulating online, showing off his body transformation. The Lakers would be thrilled if Doncic were able to stay this fit all year long. He needs to be able to play better defense now that he is the face of the franchise, and that could be abetted by improved lateral quickness. A big reason why the Lakers lost to the Timberwolves in the playoffs is because of their inability to stop guards from penetrating the paint. The starting backcourt is not a good defensive one. Doncic isn't the only one to blame for poor perimeter defense. Austin Reaves isn't the best defender, either. The difference with him is that he at least tries to be in the right spot on defense. At times against the Wolves, he was too tired to actually stay in front of some of the players who were attacking him. A large part of Minnesota's game plan was to get Doncic switched on to Anthony Edwards. More news: Massive 5-Team Blockbuster Trade Sees Lakers' LeBron James Shipped for $238 Million All-Star The Lakers would be in a great position to contend for a title if Doncic could stay in shape for an entire season. Based on this video, he has a renewed commitment to doing that. Doncic likely has extra motivation to show the Dallas Mavericks what they decided to trade away. He wants to prove them wrong for deciding to get rid of him. After he was traded to the Lakers, Doncic averaged 28.2 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. He shot 43.8 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. More news: Former Lakers Guard Signing in Israel to Continue Career For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
Commanders Training Camp Observations: Terry McLaurin ends holdout but theres more to it, Jayden Daniels gets lick back at rising defender
The Washington Commanders are participating in their final training camp practices before the pads come on Tuesday July 29th, and there was no shortage of headlines today. I was in Ashburn, Virginia on Sunday for the fourth practice of training camp for the Commanders and came away with a lot of observations on and off the field. It was a hot one as fans reported for the first time today and it ended up being well worth the heat. McLaurin ends holdout, but there's more to it Commanders All-Pro WR Terry McLaurin officially reported today for the first time since training camp kicked off, but he is still without a new contract. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter posted on X that this does NOT mean progress has been made on a contract. He was also moved to the Active/PUP list with a reported ankle injury. HC Dan Quinn said before practice that the ankle injury is nothing new. “We knew at the end of last season the ankle was something that he was dealing with as it goes," Quinn told the media. "So, it's not so uncommon that that lingers into the offseason. . .We don't know much today. I'll have some more follow up. The medical side is doing the assessments and seeing where he is at." This is still a big step in the right direction with McLaurin being at Commanders Park and showing the team that he has done everything possible on his side. McLaurin also spent time with fans after practice even though he isn't practicing with the team and signed autographs. I also spotted McLaurin on the field with his agent Buddy Baker talking, so maybe this update today can put pressure on the Commanders to get a deal done. Expect an even better Mike Sainristil in his second season I can't express enough how impressed I am with Mike Sainristil. Every player on defense could be wearing a blank burgundy jersey and I could still point him out in every play because of his energy and how he flies around the ball. Sainristil was the talk of practice on Friday and he picked right back up on Sunday with a lot of pass breakups and an insane interception on a deep Jayden Daniels throw while covering rookie Jaylin Lane. Jayden Daniels and Jaylin Lane got their lick back One of the things I highlighted about McLaurin's absence is that other WRs get the chance to build a report with Jayden Daniels and they did just that today on arguably the best training camp play I've seen in my many many years of going. A few drills after Sainristil picked off the Daniels to Lane attempt, the franchise QB threw a DART to the corner of the end zone to the rookie Lane who lept over Sainristil AND safety Quan Martin for an unbelievable grab. The jury is still out on if he got both feet in, but I dont care, it was an incredible answer back at the defense after Sainristil got his interception and Daniels let him hear it after the grab. There's no lack of competitiveness between the young bucks on the team and it'll continue leading up to the season. The defense looks much improved I know I've been praising Sainristil a lot the last few days, but honestly the entire defense impressed me at practice for many reasons. After dominating practice Friday, the corners collected more pass breakups today and the defensive line rotations generated pressure and would-be sacks. Adding pads will make the practices even more physical and competitve and the defense can really flex it's muscles starting next week. I think a lot of my worries about the defense have been calmed for now. Commanders will honor Washington legend The Commanders also announced at training camp that they will honor an all-time great by inducting former WR Santana Moss into the Ring of Fame Week 1 against the New York Giants. Moss was surprised when he heard the news and even addressed the crowd on hand at training camp to express his gratitude and appreciation. The "Cowboy-Killa" was one of the few bright spots in the darkest times as a Washington fan and I can honestly say he deserves it. The franchise continues to make the right moves off the field for those that paved the way for the current state of the team. Moss also continues to give back as an analyst for the team's broadcast team. I'll have more detailed breakdown observations on the offense and the defense in the next articles, as well as more live practice updates, so be sure to check A to Z Sports for all of the latest on the Washington Commanders.
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