The pressure is on for Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III.
After the Bears traded away DJ Moore, it was clear they were looking for the second-year player to take on a bigger role. Given the talent Burden has shown, Chicago's strategy of relying on younger players to step up might just work out.
Burden emerged as an impact player for the Bears, especially when wide receiver Rome Odunze was sidelined for a couple of games due to injury. He finished the season with 652 receiving yards, averaging 13.9 yards per reception and two touchdowns. Now that his role is growing, all the signs point to a breakout season.
Luther Burden has stats to back him up
Burden had the most yards per route run by a rookie wide receiver in the "Next Gen Stats" era with 2.7 yards. He's tied for first with A.J. Brown and Justin Jefferson. Behind him are Puka Nacua and Ja'Marr Chase with 2.6. If those names are any indication of how good Burden could be, then he will continue to be an explosive addition to the young Bears offense.
He was ranked fourth among receivers with an average of 7.4 yards after the catch per reception, from those who had at least 25 catches. As the season progressed, he kept leveling up. Through his first eight games, he recorded 16 receptions for 222 receiving yards. In the last seven games of the regular season, he almost doubled his production with 31 receptions and 430 receiving yards.
The stats prove that he's legit, and his head coach, Ben Johnson, also had high praise for the receiver at OTAs about a month ago.
"I'm buying Luther Burden stock right now," Johnson said. "He's been extremely coachable, so I'm really happy with him."
Burden succeeded last year while being the third option. Now that he's moving up, Chicago can showcase his talent in different ways, possibly to score more touchdowns.
Everyone seems to be on the Luther Burden train, even ESPN's Mike Clay, who predicted Burden could increase his touchdown total this season to six.
Eight of the 28 touchdowns that the Bears had last season were from Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus. With both of them gone, Burden can be used more in the red zone. Through Burden's three years at Mizzou, he had 21 touchdowns. In his last year at college, he led his team in receiving touchdowns with six and added two rushing touchdowns.
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Whether looking at stats, experts, or Burden's coach, all seem to agree that his ceiling is high and he'll be a crucial part of the Chicago Bears' future.
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