Training camp is officially getting underway for the Chicago Bears, and the buzz is high on a lot of players.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles had a chance to talk to the media for what could be one of the last times in 2026. Poles had a chance to praise one Bears player who has been getting a ton of hype around him this offseason: wide receiver Luther Burden III.
"If there’s a guy that I’m really excited about, it’s Luther Burden, just because of how much he’s grown from the day he walked in this building," Poles said via The Score's Chris Emma. "I mean, I heard he was just texting and calling these quarterbacks just looking for an arm to throw to him every day of the week. The guy loves football, he’s passionate about it. He wants to helps this team win, and he wants to be the absolute best receiver he can possibly be. You can feel the fire inside of him, and I’m excited to see that show up.”
Ryan Poles is excited to see Luther Burden break out in 2026
Burden's potential was on full display last season, going for 652 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears. There were slower moments earlier in the year for him, with bubble screens being his bread and butter with little success. Once Rome Odunze got hurt, Burden was unleashed and showed off his speed and abilities at wide receiver.
DJ Moore is out the door, leaving the WR2 role for Burden to have, and Odunze takes the top spot. Some believe that by the end of the season, Burden might be the number one receiver on the team.
It's clear to everyone that Burden is going to be a focal point in this offense, as everyone believes that he will be a breakout star in 2026. Even his quarterback, Caleb Williams, is all for Burden having a great season. Heck, Bears head coach Ben Johnson took time in OTAs to point out that he's on board with the hype train around his young second-year receiver.
While the abilities are there for Burden, there is still a lot he needs to show the Bears in 2026. He needs to play consistently, play well, and continue to pick up those YAC yards when the ball is thrown his way.
Read more: Ben Johnson's blunt 2-word message should have Kyler Gordon worried
Odunze and rising star tight end Colston Loveland are going to command a lot of attention from Williams, but there's no doubt Burden is going to get plenty of targets. Johnson will make sure that Burden is involved early and often.
Add us as a preferred source on Google