Luther Burden III finally gets the change he has been wanting with Bears

Luther Burden III got what we wanted all along. 

The Chicago Bears’ rookie wide receiver changed his jersey number from 87 to 13 after it became available once Maurice Alexander was initially waived. Alexander was signed back to the practice squad a day after being waived. 

The journey for Burden from 87 to 13

Back in May, Burden was asked why he selected No. 87 in the first place, and it’s safe to say his reasoning wasn’t by choice. 

Although No. 87 wasn’t Burden’s first choice, he was making the jersey look good throughout training camp and the preseason. Burden had to ramp up after dealing with a soft tissue injury, but since he has been healthy, the No. 39 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has displayed crisp route running, the ability to separate from defensive backs and how to simply make plays. 

Against the Dolphins in the Week 1 preseason game, the 6-foot, 210-pound receiver caught two passes for 29 yards. His first reception of the game happened on third-and-15. Burden caught a pass in the middle of the field from Tyson Bagent and converted the chains on a 16-yard gain. Then, his 13-yard reception right before halftime helped put Cairo Santos in position to convert on a 57-yard field goal.

The following week, Burden continued with his playmaking ability by catching three passes for 49 yards and provided some physical blocks that help set up his teammates for positive plays.

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Bears fans will have to get used to seeing him in his new number, but if he continues to play the game like he has already shown on tape, then it wouldn’t be surprising to see No. 13s in the stands at Soldier Field for years to come.