It's going to be an interesting 2026 season for the Chicago Bears as there are high hopes for some of their young players to step up and play a massive role in a potential Super Bowl run.
One player to keep an eye on who is getting a ton of buzz around him is wide receiver Luther Burden III as he enters his second season in the NFL. Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon named Burden the most important second-year player on the Bears in 2026.
"The second-round pick was only the fourth-most-productive pass-catcher on the Chicago roster last season, but D.J. Moore is gone and Bears head coach Ben Johnson is 'buying Luther Burden stock right now.' There's a chance he forms a superstar duo with Rome Odunze, which could make the Bears a major contender."
Luther Burden III must have a strong 2026 season for the Bears
Last year was a good indicator of what the Bears can expect from Burden, as his slow start ended with a ton of explosive plays from him at the end of the season. He caught 47 passes for 652 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie campaign.
With Moore out the door, more weight is being put on Burden to be the WR2 they need in 2026. Odunze is set to have his own pressure of being the number one guy, but Burden is equally playing a crucial role in the offense.
The good news is that Burden and Odunze have tight end Colston Loveland there to help take the load off of them in the passing game. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, though, is more likely to turn to his receivers, so Burden and Odunze still have to step up.
Read more: Bears can't ignore major NFC North rumor brewing before training camp
Burden caught fire at OTAs as he got everyone's attention, including his head coach, Ben Johnson, who believes he's about to have a breakout 2026 season. If the young second-year receiver can't take the leap the Bears need, though, they might be facing some bigger problems entering next offseason.
Add us as a preferred source on Google