College didn’t present much of a challenge for Luther Burden, at least when it came to roster competition. He was so obviously the most gifted player on the depth chart that there was no way Missouri could keep him on the sidelines. That won’t be the case with the Chicago Bears. He suddenly enters a situation where the talent level is significantly higher. The coaches won’t be handing him anything, mainly because they don’t have to. D.J. Moore is already an established star. Rome Odunze is a former 1st round pick who played well in his rookie season last year. Olamide Zacchaeus came in as a free agent with plenty of proven experience.
Burden will have to fight for playing time this year. That won’t be easy since he’s already behind due to missing most of spring practices with an injury. He must arrive prepared if he wants to make any headway in training camp. It appears Burden understood this reality and has taken subsequent steps. Photos surfaced of the Bears rookie working out with another wide receiver. It isn’t who you’d expect, either, being none other than Minnesota Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson.
— Bearsszn (@bearssznn) [July 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/bearssznn/status/1946014650543562886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
He and Jefferson actually have a lot in common. The Vikings receiver came from the SEC, where he was primarily used as a slot receiver at LSU. Luther Burden experienced the same at Missouri. Many felt Jefferson would stay there in the pros, but he quickly proved that his actual skill set allowed him to play anywhere. Many believe Burden is capable of doing the same. The trick is learning how to master the art of playing on the outside. Few can do a better job teaching him about the transition than Jefferson. If you’re going to learn from somebody, you might as well learn from the best. If Burden takes his advice to heart and puts in the work over the next month, the Bears won’t be able to justify keeping him off the field.
