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Bears receive concerning Luther Burden injury update amid breakout buzz originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Chicago Bears may have to temporarily continue training camp without one of Caleb Williams’ most important weapons. Second-year wide receiver Luther Burden III suffered a groin injury during Saturday’s practice and is expected to miss “a little bit of time,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Burden sustained the injury on the final rep of a red-zone one-on-one period. He became tangled with cornerback Tyrique Stevenson while attempting to catch a pass from Williams and landed awkwardly.
The 22-year-old walked off the field under his own power but did so gingerly. He went inside Halas Hall with a trainer and did not return to practice.
Chicago did not immediately provide an official recovery timeline, making Burden’s progress one of the team’s most important developments to monitor.
Luther Burden injury interrupts impressive Bears camp
The injury comes at a frustrating time for Burden. Chicago entered camp expecting him to assume a much larger role following the offseason trade that sent veteran receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. Burden appeared ready to reward that confidence.
The former Missouri standout has received extensive work with the starting offense and shown improved chemistry with Williams. During Thursday’s practice, Burden caught a touchdown from Williams to complete a successful two-minute drill. Williams completed all six of his passes on the drive, finding five different receivers before connecting with Burden across the back of the end zone with 14.2 seconds remaining, according to the Bears’ official website.
Head coach Ben Johnson also has praised Burden’s development and compared parts of his skill set to Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown, whom Johnson coached as Detroit’s offensive coordinator. Burden caught 53 passes for 718 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie despite missing much of his first NFL offseason with an injury. His ability to create yards after the catch offered Chicago a glimpse of what he could become with a full-time role.
Now another soft-tissue issue threatens to interrupt his preparation. Groin injuries can linger or become aggravated if a player returns too quickly. The Bears have more than a month before their regular-season opener, so there is little reason to push Burden back onto the practice field prematurely.
However, every missed session costs him valuable time with Williams as Chicago reshapes its passing game.
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Caleb Williams faces another test after DJ Moore trade
Burden’s absence also will test the depth of Chicago’s receiver room. Rome Odunze is the Bears’ clear No. 1 option after recording 661 yards and six touchdowns across 12 games last season. The former first-round pick battled a foot injury but still demonstrated his ability to become a leading target.
Behind Odunze and Burden, Chicago’s options are considerably less proven. Kalif Raymond joined the Bears after spending five seasons with the Lions. He caught 24 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown last season, but his experience in Johnson’s system could make him especially valuable while Burden recovers.
Rookie Zavion Thomas provides elite speed after Chicago selected him in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Jahdae Walker and veteran Scotty Miller also should receive additional opportunities. The Bears can lean more heavily on tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet as well. Loveland led Chicago with 58 receptions for 713 yards and six touchdowns during his rookie season.
None of those players can completely replace what Burden brings. Burden has the strength to operate through contact, the quickness to separate underneath and the explosiveness to turn a short completion into a substantial gain. Those traits made him a natural candidate for a major second-year breakout.
The early indication that he will miss only “a little bit of time” is more encouraging than a long-term diagnosis. Still, the vague timetable leaves Chicago waiting to see how quickly the groin responds.
The Bears built their new receiving hierarchy around Odunze and Burden after moving Moore. For that plan to work, they need Burden healthy when the games begin to matter.
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