The Chicago Bears will play the entire preseason without wide receiver Luther Burden III, who suffered a groin injury that has taken one of the offense's top playmakers off the field heading into the regular season.
Head coach Ben Johnson said he hopes Burden will be ready for Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, but no definitive return date has been set. According to Yahoo Sports, a groin injury can be especially difficult for a receiver with an elusive skillset like Burden's.
With Burden out, Rome Odunze moves into the top receiver role. Chicago selected Odunze with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. His first two seasons have been uneven, partly due to a lingering foot injury that slowed him through much of 2025. If he stays healthy for a full year, the tools are in place for him to put up significant numbers.
Odunze will not be working alone. Kalif Raymond, Zavion Thomas, and Jahdae Walker are also available at receiver. Johnson is also expected to lean on the run game, as he did during his time as play-caller in Detroit and in his first year in Chicago. D'Andre Swift is expected to carry a heavy load, with Kyle Monangai providing support.
The tight end room adds another dimension. Colston Loveland had a breakout second half of the 2025 season and is seen as a potential top-five player at the position. Cole Kmet remains a reliable option who plays the role differently, willing to take on blocking assignments and other work that Loveland tends to avoid. The Bears also used a 2026 NFL Draft pick on Sam Roush, a third tight end added because Johnson favors 13-personnel groupings, which use three tight ends on the field at once. That formation could see more use if Burden misses regular season time as well.
The Bears open the regular season against Carolina in Week 1.
