One thing experts didn’t question about Luther Burden going into the 2025 draft was his talent. The Missouri wide receiver had everything you could ask for: size, speed, strength, agility, and route-running skill. On paper, he should’ve been a 1st rounder. So, for the Chicago Bears to get him the 2nd felt like a blessing. Some couldn’t help but wonder why Burden slipped so far. Some raised questions about his passion for football, pointing to his soft-spoken nature and aloof attitude. He felt like another uber-talented young man using the sport as a means to make money rather than having any genuine love for it.

Players like that tend not to have the great pro careers they’re capable of. However, these rumors only proved that people didn’t understand Burden as a person. The Bears revealed evidence of why in their latest episode of Meet The Rookies. Towards the end, it showed the team calling the wide receiver to inform him they selected him 39th overall. After the call ended, people began celebrating. However, footage showed Burden leaning on his father’s shoulder, tears streaming down his face.

People who don’t love football don’t do things like that. It was a testament to how hard the young man worked to get this far.

Luther Burden has everything needed to silence the doubters.

His talent is impossible to argue with. He also landed in a great situation, getting to play with Caleb Williams while having Antwaan Randle El to coach him. Ben Johnson will call the plays. The same man turned his former high school teammate Jameson Williams into a star. If Luther Burden can’t succeed under these conditions, he was never meant to in the first place. The hard part seems to be getting him signed. Many players selected in the 2nd round are in the middle of a significant contract dispute with the NFL over fully guaranteed contracts. Burden is one of them. Rookies report to training camp on July 19th. Burden has already missed most of OTAs and minicamps due to a soft tissue injury. He can’t afford to miss more if he aims to play this season.

Rookies are supposed to report to Lake Forest for training camp on July 19th. That means the Chicago Bears have less than 72 hours before all three of their 2nd round picks could enter a holdout. Most fans know the story by now. Since the Houston Texans fully guaranteed the contract of 34th overall pick Jayden Higgins, every other player selected in the round has not signed. All are hoping to get their deals fully guaranteed as well. Teams haven’t been willing to accommodate them.

With the deadline approaching, it felt like something had to break soon. Thankfully, it did. The San Francisco 49ers broke through on a deal with 43rd overall pick Alfred Collins. His deal is not fully guaranteed. That basically means every player picked 44th and on no longer has any leverage in negotiations. It is particularly great news for the Bears. They’ve been trying to get Ozzy Trapilo (56th) and Shemar Turner (62nd) locked up for months. This should give talks the nudge they needed.

The Chicago Bears still have one persistent issue.

Collins’ decision to sign doesn’t solve the problem for everybody picked between 35th and 42nd. They still have a chance to fight for the fully guaranteed deal. Among that number is wide receiver Luther Burden, the 39th overall pick by the Chicago Bears. Keep in mind he already missed most of OTAs and minicamps in the spring due to soft tissue injuries. Now he’s in danger of missing training camp practices as well. Head coach Ben Johnson warned Burden was already behind others on the depth chart because of this. He may not get playing time at all this season if he takes this holdout too far. Still, it’s his right to do what he feels he must.

The Chicago Bears know they have a long way to go before they start competing for championships. Finding elite talent is the pivotal part of that process. Thus far, GM Ryan Poles hasn’t quite gotten there. He’s certainly added an array of good players. However, none of them have emerged as some of the NFL’s best. It is hoped that starts changing. Each of the past three years saw them utilize four picks in the top 10. Darnell Wright is already becoming a good player at right tackle. Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze showed flashes last season. Perhaps the most intriguing is the latest arrival, Colston Loveland.

Many see the rookie from Michigan as the latest in that new wave of tight ends: tall, athletic, fast, and savvy route-runners. We’ve already seen what guys like Greg Olsen, Travis Kelce, and George Kittle have done. Brock Bowers figures to join that club pretty soon. Loveland has the same skill set. Yet what may set him apart from others is his competitiveness. He was known for being a big-game player in college, and doesn’t seem to lack confidence. That was made clear when he admitted on Up & Adams that he’s already talking trash with members of the Minnesota Vikings ahead of the opener in September.

Colston Loveland is not about to let anything slide.

Remember, this is somebody accustomed to winning. It was a big reason why the Bears drafted him. Loveland had both personal and team success with Michigan. Those are the types of players they want on their roster. The only question for Colston Loveland is whether he’ll be healthy when the Vikings visit for Monday Night Football. All signs point to his injured shoulder being fully recovered. Answers should arrive next week when players report for training camp. Head coach Ben Johnson has big plans for Loveland. Undoubtedly, he could fill the void Sam LaPorta did in Detroit, and the 10th overall pick is even more talented. That is why excitement is brimming for this season.

The last place you’d expect to hear an excellent argument for why Caleb Williams is the right guy for the Chicago Bears is from somebody who made a career out of beating them up on Sundays. Ndamukong Suh is unquestionably one of the best defensive tackles of the 2010s, having reached multiple Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl. He’s also widely known as one of the dirtiest players, known for cheap shots at anybody and everybody, especially quarterbacks. His shots on Jay Cutler are infamous.

One would think Suh delights in the fact Williams has so many critics these days. It appears that is a misconception. It turns out the retired defensive tackle is an admirer of the young quarterback. His reasoning is simple. Williams has something figured out about football many others don’t.

“Everyone wants Caleb Williams to be obsessed with football 24/7. But the real ones know. Stepping away can make you better. When your whole identity is the game, you burn out. When you build a life outside of it, you stay sharp.”

This is referencing Williams’ many business and entertainment interests outside of football. Critics believe this makes him mentally weak since he’s not 100% dedicated to the game. Suh believes it’s the opposite. By having hobbies outside of football, Williams is well-equipped to handle the stresses without losing his passion for the game.

Caleb Williams isn’t the first to figure this out.

Another Bears quarterback who seemed to grasp this reality was Jim McMahon. The leader of the 1985 championship team had a strong work ethic, but coupled it with a deep love for bars and the nightlife. He didn’t mind doing commercials or other business-related ventures. Plenty of people criticized him for it, but none of them included his teammates, who saw the effort and passion on Sundays. Caleb Williams seems built the same way. He loves football and will put in all the time necessary to be great. That doesn’t mean he will apologize for having more than one interest. Suh is correct. The best players in the sport often find the balance between the grind and the down periods.

Shemar Turner checked plenty of boxes. NFL teams always look for size, power, and athleticism in their high draft picks. The Texas A&M defensive lineman had those covered. So for him to fall nearly out of the 2nd round was somewhat surprising. There had to be an explanation. Some thought it was his tendency towards violent outbursts. He played with such aggression at times that it led to unnecessary penalties. Teams are wary of players who can’t maintain their composure. That may have been part of it, but there was another, simpler explanation.

Turner’s production dropped in 2024. After posting 6.5 sacks in his sophomore season with the Aggies, he managed only two last year. NFL teams don’t like drafting players in the 1st round with only one good season of production. Debates went back and forth about why Turner fell off. As it turns out, the reason was more technical. Bears personnel director Terry Koziol revealed it when discussing Turner with the Chicago Tribune. The truth is, 2024 was Turner’s first-ever season at defensive tackle.

“Being able to be in a room with guys like Grady Jarrett and these veteran players, Andrew Billings and Gervon and these guys that have done it,” Koziol said, “just to be able to take a little bit of what all those guys do and make it your own — I still think there’s a lot of meat on the bone there in terms of that.

“Honestly, (it was) his first year doing it (at defensive tackle). But it’ll be really fun. I know the coaches are really excited to work with him.”

Shemar Turner is hardly the first to struggle adjusting to a new position.

DeForest Buckner started as a defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. The next year, they moved him to defensive tackle, where he only had three sacks. Some wondered if it had been a mistake. The next season, Buckner exploded for 12 sacks. It serves as a reminder that position switches almost never yield immediate results. Playing defensive tackle is significantly different from end. There is less space to work with and a far greater chance of facing double teams. Also, the primary responsibility for defensive tackles is stopping the run. Adjusting to that must not have been easy for Shemar Turner.

Some still wonder if that was the right decision. Texas A&M had a logjam at defensive end with Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart. Coaches must not have wanted to take Turner off the field, so they asked him to move inside. It will be interesting to see if the Bears shift him back or if they want to keep working him in the middle.

With training camp fast approaching, I’m breaking down some of the key Bears players to watch. Let’s dive in.

Rome Odunze 2024 Season Recap

Drafted 9th overall in 2024, Rome Odunze played in all 17 games as a rookie as the WR3 behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.

Rookie Stats:

Receptions: 54

Yards: 734

Yards/Rec: 13.6

Touchdowns: 3

Targets: 101

YAC: 201

Contested Catch Rate: 73.3% (10/13)

First Downs: 30

Despite a struggling offense, a brutal O-line (Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times), and limited targets, Odunze showed glimpses of star potential.

2025 Season Outlook

With Keenan Allen gone and Ben Johnson taking over as head coach, Odunze is poised for a bigger role in 2025. Johnson’s track record of maximizing receiver production (see Amon-Ra St. Brown in Detroit) bodes well for Odunze.

Projected Stats:

Receptions: 70–85

Yards: 1,000–1,100

Touchdowns: 6-8

Targets: 100-115

Odunze’s versatility—working both outside and from the slot—plus a full offseason with Williams should help him make a leap. He’s a breakout candidate in a system built around timing, spacing, and precision.

Training Camp Storylines

As the Bears start training camp on July 22, keep an eye on these key areas for Odunze:

Chemistry with Williams: Look for more rhythm in the red-zone, on third-downs, but most importantly the deep ball.

Slot Usage: With Allen gone and Luther Burden competing for inside snaps, Odunze could take more slot reps.

Physical Development: Odunze added upper body strength this offseason. He just looks bigger. It will be fun to watch one on ones vs. Jaylon Johnson.

Route Discipline: Johnson’s system requires attention to detail. Coaches will look for consistency in his routes and timing during drills.

Target Share Battle: With Moore, Burden, Kmet, Loveland and others in the mix, Odunze needs to stand out to earn volume in a deep skill group. However, it is clear that Williams already trusts his fellow draft classmate.

Biggest Hurdle in 2025

Odunze must prove he can be a go to target in a loaded offense. DJ Moore is still WR1, Burden is a rising threat in the slot, and tight ends Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland will command attention. Add RB D’Andre Swift to the mix, and targets won’t come easy.

If he struggles in camp, he risks being overshadowed but that is very unlikely.

Importance to Bears 2025 Success (8/10)

Offensive Spark: After finishing last in passing yards in 2024, the Bears need Odunze to help open up the field and give Williams more reliable options. The revamped offensive line will definitely help.

Mismatch Weapon: His ability to line up anywhere and win contested catches adds flexibility to Johnson’s scheme.

Future Core Piece: At 23, Odunze is a long term building block. A breakout season would help solidify Chicago’s young offensive core.

Rome Odunze enters 2025 with breakout potential. After a solid rookie season in a somewhat limited role, a new offense, better protection, and more opportunity could launch him into stardom. Training camp will reveal if he’s ready to take the next step—and if he can help push the Bears back into playoff contention.

By now, fans will have heard about the recent crisis regarding the NFL and its 2nd round picks. With training camp less than a week away, 30 of 32 players still haven’t signed their contracts, including all three of the Chicago Bears‘ selections, Luther Burden, Ozzy Trapilo, and Shemar Turner. The primary issue is, unsurprisingly, money. Players want their deals to be fully guaranteed. Owners do not. It shouldn’t be surprising after another news bombshell revealing collusion inside the NFL to prevent this.

What many don’t understand is how this started. Players doing a mass holdout didn’t fall out of the sky. Something triggered it. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports finally provided some details. The man primarily responsible is Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio. Wide receiver Jayden Higgins, the team’s 34th overall pick in the 2nd round, wanted his deal guaranteed. Not wanting to haggle over a few hundred thousand dollars, Caserio agreed. Unfortunately for the league, this immediately caused 35th overall pick Nick Emmawori to demand he same from Seattle. The chain reaction went from there.

Basically, every player picked after Higgens said if they can guarantee his deal, why can’t you guarantee mine?

The Chicago Bears don’t want to be the ones to blink first.

This is clearly a league-wide issue. Both sides are waiting for the other to make a move. It’s a game of chicken. All the players need is for one owner to throw up his hands and guarantee a deal. All the owners need is for one player to shake his head and accept the deal offered. They say deadlines spur action. It feels like something will break. Most veterans around the NFL report on July 22nd. If Chicago Bears rookies aren’t around by then, their odds for getting playing time once they eventually do start dropping considerably with each passing day. Is a few hundred thousand dollars worth maybe not getting to play at all this season? We’re about to find out how far guys are willing to go with this.