Stop me if you've heard this in the last couple of weeks, but the Chicago Bears are going to have a scary offense next season. Not scary in the traditional Bears sense of "Our quarterback is going to get sacked 68 times" or "We won't score an offensive touchdown for three consecutive games," but the good kind of scary where Caleb Williams is given time in the pocket to find an abundance of pass-catchers, all expertly schemed open by new head coach Ben Johnson.
If Chris Farley's Superfans character was around to see what the Bears are about to unleash upon the NFL, he'd no doubt be pounding his chest to try to ward off his 23rd heart attack. The Bears are going to light up the scoreboard with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze running free down the sidelines and rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III adding new dynamic weaponry lined up on the inside.
Both picks were surprises to most Bears fans, but none more so than Burden, who looks set to step into the third receiver role that was vacated when Rome Odunze rose up the depth chart to take Keenan Allen's spot. Burden was one of the top receivers in this draft class, and now he's joining a team that seems poised to make perfect use of his skill set.
Burden has drawn favorable comparisons to Amon-Ra St. Brown for his ability to operate out of the slot and make tough catches in traffic despite a relatively small frame. As Bears fans saw all too often on a first-hand basis, Ben Johnson knew what he was doing with Amon-Ra, moving him all over the field and helping him become one of the most reliable and dangerous receivers in the league. The thought of him doing the same for Burden is... hold on, now I'm feeling one of those heart attacks coming on. OK, better.
The NFL put out an Instagram post recently asking who fans' early pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year was, and though the usual suspects such as Cam Ward and Ashton Jeanty were present as possible choices, Burden's name was nowhere to be found despite being taken with the 39th overall pick.
Burden's reply was only three letters long, but it said it all: "Mhm" as in "OK we're going to find out."
Luther Burden is aiming to make sure Rookie of the Year voters know his name
Burden's reply to the NFL's post calls to mind another similarity to Amon-Ra, who famously reads a list of all 16 receivers taken before him before he begins each practice, not unlike Arya Stark reciting her kill list before going to bed each night in Game of Thrones.
Burden only heard five receivers called before him, but that fact, combined with what he's perceiving as disrespect from the NFL itself, is only going to add fuel to his competitive fire. With 147 catches and just under 1,900 yards receiving in his last two years at Missouri, he clearly has the talent to be a star. If this provides him with extra motivation, it will be all the better for the Bears.
Burden is going to be one of many mouths to feed in Chicago, but the Bears wouldn't have taken him when they did if they didn't believe he could be a difference-maker. His selection is especially exciting now that Johnson is calling the plays, because even last year when Rome Odunze flashed some special chemistry with Caleb Williams, his ceiling was capped by unimaginative playcalling and an offensive line that rarely gave him time to get downfield where he could do the most damage.
The Bears shouldn't have that problem this year, as before they drafted all this skill position talent, they used the trade market and free agency to fortify the offensive line with Jonah Jackson, Joe Thuney and Drew Dalman. They also drafted a couple of linemen in Ozzy Trapilo (who like Burden was taken in the second round) and Luke Newman (an interior lineman taken in the sixth) to provide even more depth.
Burden is going to face some stiff competition for Offensive Rookie of the Year, but the offense he's about to play on could elevate his chances. He'll be head-to-head in the division with another rookie wideout in Green Bay's Matthew Golden, but unlike Golden, who's trading the Texas heat for the frozen tundra of Green Bay, when Burden steps foot on Soldier Field, he'll be just six hours from his old college stomping grounds and only about four-and-a-half hours from his hometown of St. Louis. That proximity to home could go a long way towards getting him started on the right foot.
The NFL schedule will be released in less than a week, which is great for Bears fans because they'll finally have somewhere to direct all of their excitement for this upcoming season. This new-look offense promises to be a show that fans won't want to miss, and with Ben Johnson designing the playbook and Burden and Loveland joining an already-talented group, every Bears game, both home and away, promises to be a hot ticket.