The Luther Burden III hype train could not slow down if you wanted it to.
There have been some ups and downs for the Chicago Bears' second-round wide receiver, but as the team heads into its last preseason game, the thought is not whether Burden will contribute; the question is when.
Luther Burden III impresses in preseason Week 2
Burden was electric after having a solid preseason debut the week prior. He caught three passes for 49 yards this week after two for 29 in the week prior. It was less about what he did and more about how he did it, though.
Burden was able to consistently create separation. Some of it was scheme design, but he was able to shake and use his route running to get open as well. His elusiveness as a route runner appeared after the catch as well. He had 24 of his 49 yards come after the catch.
They used Burden in the short, intermediate, and deeper areas of the field. Even better than the catches was his blocking ability. Burden was questioned about his commitment and maturity, which is why he fell into round two. So, this aspect was arguably a bigger question. He answered that with willingness and buy-in from the jump.
The only downside to his debut was his positioning on the depth chart. He did not play any of his snaps with Caleb Williams and the starting offense. More than that, Olamide Zaccheaus not only started ahead of him, but he also performed well and caught a touchdown himself.
So, the Burden hype will just be that for now. He is going to enter the season as the fourth wide receiver. However, as a rookie, it may be for the best. He can ease in, and they can use him on specific packages. If anyone gets injured or feels Burden is now ready, they can make the move and push him into a bigger role.
Read more: Bears' rookie report card from Week 2 preseason shutout win over Bills
It will allow for natural regression. It is easy to see why the Bears are on him in the long term, but in the short term, he may still be a slow starter.