Bear Digest

Ben Johnson gives exciting update on top Bears rookie after Week 10 win

Ben Johnson shared an exciting update on one of the Chicago Bears’ top rookies following Week 10, signaling major growth and momentum heading into Week 11.
Bryan Perez|
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The Chicago Bears' breathtaking victory over the New York Giants in Week 10 was the kind of win that offered head coach Ben Johnson a lot to think about.

Sure, winning is all that matters, but the game probably shouldn't have been as close as it was.

It took a late fourth-quarter touchdown run by Caleb Williams to put the Bears on top, 24-20, and secure the team's sixth win of the season. Who knows how much bigger that win differential would've been had Chicago's receivers not dropped six passes.

The biggest culprit of those drops was wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, who put four passes on the ground.

Zaccheaus' butter fingers, combined with rookie second-round pick Luther Burden's success, could mean more opportunities for the former Missouri star as the second half of the 2025 season marches on.

"You've slowly seen his rep count go up," Ben Johnson told reporters Monday. "He's a guy who is starting to get more targets. It's a trust level between the coaches and the player. It's a trust level between the quarterback and a receiver. It continues to ascend. He has been every productive when he's about to get the ball in his hands and there's a strong argument that we should get it to him more."

Burden finished Week 10 with three catches for 51 yards (he caught all three of his targets) and looks every bit like one of the most dangerous playmakers on the field whenever he gets his touches.

Burden now has 16 catches for 222 yards and one touchdown this season.

The chemistry between burden and Caleb Williams already feels like it's better than what Williams has with veteran DJ Moore, and while Burden isn't a threat to Moore's reps, it would make sense to get him on the field a lot more than they have so far.

Luther Burden logged 33 snaps in Week 10, good for 49% of the team's offensive plays. Zaccheaus had 39 reps, good for 57%. The gap is closing, and we could see a flip in receiver usage as early as Week 11 against the Minnesota Vikings.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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