The Chicago Bears returned to the practice field on Tuesday, for their second padded session of training camp—adding in live hitting and a faster tempo. One of the biggest storylines was rookie wide receiver Luther Burden, who found himself in the spotlight for both his upside and early struggles.
Burden, the Bears second-round pick, practiced with the first team for the first time during 11 on 11 drills after recently returning from a lingering hamstring injury. But with this came growing pains. Head coach Ben Johnson pulled Burden from a rep due to a misalignment and wasn’t shy about expressing his frustration. Johnson had also pointed out similar issues during Monday’s walkthrough, saying those mistakes forced the team to “re-huddle and start all over again.”
Johnson reportedly screamed at Burden and sent him to the sideline—a clear message that precision matters in this offense. Still, the rookie responded with poise. He bounced back with sharp route-running and maintained a strong attitude throughout practice.
After missing OTAs, minicamp, and the first week of camp, Burden is still catching up. Johnson admitted the rookie is “a little behind right now” but said the team would gradually increase his reps, similar to how they’ve eased in other players returning from injury. “There’s really no substitute for full-speed reps,” Johnson emphasized.
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If Burden can continue to handle tough coaching and master the details, he has the potential to carve out a real role in this offense alongside DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Tuesday’s practice was a clear message: in Ben Johnson’s system, talent isn’t enough—execution is everything.
