There is plenty of excitement around the Chicago Bears heading into the 2026 season, coming off Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach where they won 11 games, their first NFC North title since 2018, and picked up their first playoff win since the 2010 season.
Chicago’s offense, led by quarterback Caleb Williams, is a big reason for the optimism around the franchise but in order for them to continue their success, they’re going to need a big leap from their young playmakers. Following the offseason trade of veteran wide receiver DJ Moore, the Bears will turn to former first-round pick Rome Odunze and last year’s second-round pick Luther Burden to lead their receiver room as the primary pass catchers.
Recently, Robert Mays and Dave Helman of The Athletic Football show named Burden as one of their top players to watch this season, believing that he can have a “nuclear” season in his second year in the NFL.
“There are so many signifiers of a potential, just nuclear season from Luther Burden in Year 2,” Mays said.
Helman broke down some of the reasons why he agreed: “[Burden] had 2.7 yards per route run last year, which is the fourth-highest in the NFL last year among all players. It’s the best among rookies since A.J. Brown’s rookie year. You can’t guarantee that it’s going to continue that way, but that’s a trend I’m completely down to buy in on, especially since DJ Moore is out of Chicago. The snaps are there, the opportunities are there, the quarterback is there, the coach is there. There’s all the potential in the world that this guy blows up in Year 2.”
Given how the Bears offense shapes up, there’s not only a chance that Burden has a breakout season, but he could actually battle it out with Odunze to become Chicago’s No. 1 receiver. Burden’s got an elite skillset that can make him a very dynamic player in this offense, and he continues to be a name that many analysts across the NFL are labeling as a potential breakout star to watch in the league this season.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: The Athletic predicts ‘nuclear’ season from Bears WR Luther Burden
Reporting by Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire | USA TODAY Network
