Bears’ luxury problem may cloud Luther Burden III’s immediate impact on offense, but his long-term importance to the roster is crystal clear
His usage throughout the season will be something to watch unfold.
As the Chicago Bears get ready for the Monday night matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, how head coach Ben Johnson plans to incorporate all his playmakers will be a big storyline to watch.
One player in particular that interests me is second-round rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III. On any other team, Burden is likely a starting wide receiver in Week 1, but in Chicago, the abundance of skill players currently has him on the backburner.
At the same time, there’s no denying the ability Burden has shown on the field leading up to the start of the season and what he can eventually become for this team down the road.
“He is as smooth as they come. He is confident, nothing’s too big for him. The game looks like it slows down to him all the time,” special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said of Burden. “He’s going to be a really good one. I don’t know how long we’ll have him [on special teams] because I think he’s going to be a really good wideout.”
“Going to be” is the key phrase when it comes to Burden. Right now, he’s listed as the team’s WR4 at best, depending on how you look at the depth chart, behind DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Olamide Zaccheaus. Moore and Odunze will be constantly on the field for the Bears’ offense and Zaccheaus has more than earned the trust of his quarterback and the coaching staff in his role.
Then, you have to factor players such as running back D’Andre Swift and tight ends Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland into the equation. Needless to say, it’s not going to be an immediate impact role on offense for Burden early on in his rookie season.
“It takes longer for rookies, there’s no question about it,” Johnson explained on Tuesday. “I can’t say they’re all on the same pace, some are a little bit further ahead than others. But, it’s coming along. When we get to a game week like we are in now, the plan can get a little more condensed and guys find their roles and their niches and they really sink their teeth into that. And they can function at a high level on game day.”
With Burden and his potential role early in the season, his quickest way onto the field is as a returner, most likely returning punts, an area he had some game-changing experience at while playing at Missouri. And when his name is called on offense, he’ll need to be ready to step in and produce, but there’s going to be a lot of other mouths to feed at the same time.
“It’s not the just trust of whether [a rookie] can do a certain job, it’s the sharing the wealth. That’s what keeps me up at night,” Johnson added. “Trying to make sure that all of our horses are fed. These guys, they’re super talented players. We just need to get them a little space and the ball in their hands. They can make big things happen.
“I’ve been pretty transparent to them in the spring, and so far in camp, that if you’re active on gameday, we’re going to have a role for you, we’ll have some jobs for you. How big that is? It’s really dictated on how well you practice and, really, your track record going up into the week.”
Creating a good impression on the practice field each week will go a long way for a young player like Burden. His talent is clearly evident on the field as long as he can lock in on the minute details during the week and prove himself to the coaches.
“Each week, you gotta earn what you get on gameday. That’s exactly how we set this up,” Johnson said a few weeks back during training camp.
For the most part, he’s made some significant strides in that regard compared to what we saw early in training camp and he proved to be a willing blocker during the preseason. He truly is a blessing and the burden for this staff because you want to put this kind of guy on the field, but who do you take off in his place makes it a tough decision.
Best case scenario, Johnson has some pre-planned packages to get Burden involved to help provide a spark. And in the worst case scenario that someone goes down due to injury, the Bears have a really talented player eager for more opportunities.
On Monday, we’ll see how active Burden will actually be in the gameplan and how that usage will continue to evolve throughout his rookie season. One thing is clear, however. This guy has a super bright future with this football team.
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