Luther Burden Injury Update From Ben Johnson All But Confirms Bears WR's Week 1 status

Bears head coach Ben Johnson said exactly what we wanted to hear when asked about wide receiver Luther Burden on Saturday night.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) celebrates after a first down during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Panic set in real fast after wide receiver Luther Burden suffered a groin injury at Chicago Bears training camp earlier this month.

And it's understandable why. Burden is hugely important to the Bears' offense in 2026 and not having him for any length of time would be a tough blow for Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson's offense.

Thankfully, the Bears ended up dodging a bullet, but we still did not know what the deal was when it comes to Burden's Week 1 status.

Luther Burden injury update

Well, we now have a better idea of where Burden stands in his recovery from the groin injury.

Prior to kickoff of the preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night, Burden was once again on the field doing work like he was the week prior, which was yet another fantastic sign for his recovery.

"Maybe not 100% but he's running routes and getting in and out his breaks. That bodes well for potential Week 1 availability two weeks from tomorrow," the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs said.

After the game, head coach Ben Johnson said it looks like the second-year wideout is fully healthy again.

"He looks 100% to me," Johnson said of Burden.

So, there you have it. Barring a setback, Burden is going to play in the regular season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 13.

Luther Burden set for big role in Year 2

While DJ Moore was very disappointing with Caleb Williams over two seasons, he was still a key part of the passing attack that the Bears are going to miss in 2026.

That is, if Burden doesn't adequately step up into his place, something we believe he's capable of doing and then some.

Before his injury, Burden looked phenomenal in training camp and it is quite clear he's ascending ahead of his second season and should at least pick up where he left off in 2025.

“I’m buying Luther Burden stock right now," Johnson said earlier this offseason.

"We've got to go play games and he's got to finish this thing off. But if there's a guy that I'm really excited about, it's Luther Burden — just because of how much he's grown from the day he walked in this building," general manager Ryan Poles said.

The hype for Burden is real, and it's not just made up by fans. The team is legitimately excited about what the 2025 second-round pick can do and we can't wait to see him deliver.