Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson didn’t mince words during spring practices. He flat-out told the media that he’d be buying Luther Burden stock right now if he were them. He felt the young wide receiver had made significant strides since the end of last season. Burden was putting in constant work, refining his skills while improving his overall strength and conditioning. Even at OTAs and minicamps, it was easy to see how night-and-day he was compared to his rookie year. That in itself was terrifying to think about.
Remember, Burden was only targeted 60 times in 2025. That didn’t stop him from cracking 600 yards receiver. His 2.82 yards per route run was the highest in the NFL. If that was the appetizer, what could the main course possibly be? Johnson clearly thinks it will be something special. If you thought he’d back down from those earlier comments, you’d be very wrong. During an interview with FOX 32, the head coach went so far as to say that he feels Burden has all the traits of a superstar. That includes the internal fire to be great.
Luther Burden could be the next Landry or St. Brown.
“Yeah, well, I mean, I think it’s anytime, they kind of flip a switch when they go on the field and they feel like they’re invincible and that they’re the best players out there. I’ve been around… guys like Jarvis Landry, who’s a tremendous competitor. Played with a little chip on his shoulder, was physical in the running game, not afraid of contact. You could just feel the whole team elevate based on his style of play. (Amon-Ra) St. Brown in Detroit, who I have a strong affinity for, he plays the game the same way.
I feel that from Luther. I know he wasn’t a full-time starter for us a year ago, but the snaps that he did have, he’s got that competitive… competitive edge and desire to be great. And it’s carried over throughout the spring and summer as well. He’s been a regular in the building. He’s been working with our strength staff. Wants to be the most conditioned player on the team. Wants to be one of the strongest receivers on the team. And just continues to soak in all the knowledge that Coach Randall L and Coach Isaiah Ford can give him.”
Johnson is not afraid of expectations for Luther Burden.
Comparing him to St. Brown is probably the loftiest praise you can ever expect from the Bears’ head coach. The Detroit Lions’ Pro Bowler has been the best wide receiver he has ever coached. They made magic together for three years when Johnson was the offensive coordinator there. For him to say Burden has the same internal drive as St. Brown is no small thing. Yet that doesn’t even cover the scariest part. The thing to remember about St. Brown and Jarvis Landry is their limitations.
For all of their success, both men were considered undersized with average speed. They overcame it with excellent route-running. Luther Burden doesn’t have those problems. He is 6’0″ tall and boasts 4.41 speed, serving last season as the Bears’ most dangerous deep threat. Now stop and think about this. If you paired that capability with the same route-running prowess of St. Brown, what sort of player do you think it creates? As Johnson has said, one of the best in all of football.
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Early training camp signs haven’t disappointed.
Through the first week of practices, the wide receiver has looked the part. His release and route-running have noticeably improved since last season. The speed is as dangerous as ever. Bears’ cornerbacks are having a brutal time dealing with him. The only thing left to clean up is his occasional drop issues. Burden still has a bad habit of letting the ball hit off his hands, even when he’s wide open. If he wants to fulfill Johnson’s vision for him, that will be something he has to clean up.
One thing is certain. He has the clear trust of quarterback Caleb Williams, who hasn’t hesitated to go his way at every opportunity. That speaks volumes. Once you have his nod of approval, plenty of footballs are going your way. If Burden gets the customary 100+ targets of a #1 wide receiver this season, he could be the first drafted by the Bears since Darnell Mooney to crack 1,000 yards. If Johnson is right, that will only be a taste of what’s to come.
