Bears made secret decision before pouncing on second-round pick (2025)

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

NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Chicago Bears Aug 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles looks on before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

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 further bolsters the Chicago Bears offense

Chicago Bears add to draft war chest in major Bills trade 4 Luther Burden working out at the NFL scouting combine – Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles. Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images