Bear Digest

Chicago Bears rookie trio missing from practice on Day 2

Luther Burden and two other players were not on the practice field for Day 2 and the second-round wide receiver still has a soft tissue injury he is addressing.
Gene Chamberlain|
Luther Burden remains out for now with a soft tissue injury,
Luther Burden remains out for now with a soft tissue injury, | Chicago Bears On SI Photo: Chicago Bears Video

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Chicago Bears

Second-round Bears draft pick Luther Burden will continue missing practices due to a soft tissue injury.

Coach Ben Johnson gave an injury update prior to Thursday's practice and said Burden's injury from before OTAs in May hasn't healed yet. He is day to day.

“Everything that our training staff is telling us we can do physically with him, we’re utilizing. I know (receivers coach Antwaan) Randle El has been all over him in meetings, keeping him involved, he’s being quizzed. Non stop, our quarterbacks are taking him to the side whether it’s walkthroughs on their own. So he’s utilizing that time as much as he can but there’s really no substitute for full-speed reps and so the sooner we get him out there, the quicker he can carve a role for himself.”

The injury actually happened in early May at the end of rookie camp.

“Yeah, I’m hopeful it’s just a few days," Johnson said. "We’re saying day to day right now. Sometimes those soft tissues, you can’t predict. Everyone’s a little bit different. Some guys take longer than others. Like I said, just was hopeful and we’ll keep on trucking on along.”

The other injury issue is a twisted ankle suffered by rookie second-round defensive tackle Shemar Turner near the end of practice on Wednesday. He was out Thursday.

Also out rookie Zah Frazier, a fifth-round cornerback. He was out for personal reasons.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.