The Chicago Bears seem to have avoided the worst with wide receiver Luther Burden III and the groin injury that he sustained last week in training camp.
Burden gave the Bears reason for concern on August 8 when he limped off the field and into the weight room with an apparent lower-body injury, missing the rest of practice.
According to The Chicago Tribune’s Sean Hammond, Burden had gotten tangled with cornerback Tyrique Stevenson during one-on-one drills and hit the ground hard along with his teammate. The second-year wide receiver then limped off with a team trainer.
The initial report from ESPN’s Ian Rapoport stated that Burden had suffered a groin injury and “should miss a little bit of time,” but CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz added more details about his expected return timeline — specifically regarding his Week 1 status.
“#Bears wide receiver Luther Burden, who suffered a groin injury Saturday, is currently expected to miss about a month, sources tell @CBSSports,” Zenitz wrote Sunday night on X. “The hope is that he’ll be back and available for Chicago’s season opener vs. the #Panthers, per sources.
Bears Catch Break With Luther Burden’s Return Timeline
The door appears open for Burden to return from his injury without missing any time in the regular season. But even if he does wind up missing a game or two, the Bears should count themselves lucky — as his injury could have been much, much worse for them.
Burden, a 2025 second-round pick, enters his second NFL season as a clear starter for the Bears after the team traded veteran D.J. Moore to the Buffalo Bills in the offseason. He was highly efficient for them as a rookie despite taking some time to find a regular role, catching 47 of his 60 targets for 652 yards and two touchdowns over 15 games.
According to Pro Football Focus, Burden also led the league with the most yards after catch on a per-reception basis (7.2) and finished seventh in yards per route run (2.34).
With a more prominent role, Burden has a chance to break into the upper echelon of NFL wide receivers in 2026 — especially if quarterback Caleb Williams also continues his ascent. The Bears will need him healthy before they can breathe too easily, though.
Burden’s Injury Also Raises Intrigue Around WR Battles
Even with a short-term recovery timeline, Burden’s injury is an undeniable setback for Ben Johnson’s offense as the Bears prepare to defend their NFC North crown in 2026.
It also makes the Bears’ depth competitions at wide receiver a lot more interesting.
The Bears have at least four solid locks to make their 53-man roster at the wide receiver position with Burden, Rome Odunze, Kalif Raymond and rookie Zavion Thomas. It also seems a safe bet to think that Jahdae Walker — who made the team as a UDFA in 2025 — has the inside track to a depth role in the rotation, which likely leaves one spot open.
If the Bears have any doubts about Burden’s availability for Week 1, though, they will want to suss out more than just six viable receiving options. The No. 7 guy — or, more likely, the first guy back on their practice squad — could become important if the Bears need to call up reinforcements for their first game of the year against Carolina.
There are a few candidates for the bottom-depth roles. Veteran Scotty Millers brings the most experience to the table, but former UFL standout Kaden Davis has been making waves in training camp and has a considerable amount of experience as a return man.
JP Richardson and Maurice Alexander are also in the mix after each spent most of the 2025 regular season on the Bears’ practice squad, learning Johnson’s offensive scheme.
Bears Get Encouraging Update Amid Luther Burden Injury Concerns