Bears WR Luther Burden III to miss a month with groin injury, Week 1 return possible
Luther Burden will miss the preseason with his groin injury, but a Week 1 return is possible.
Wide receiver Luther Burden III of the Bears is anticipated to be sidelined for roughly a month following a groin injury sustained during Saturday's practice, according to CBS Sports reporter Matt Zenitz. The team's optimism is that Burden will be available for the preseason opener against the Panthers on September 13. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport had previously reported a similar timeline, albeit without a precise schedule.
During this period, Burden would miss the entirety of the preseason and the remainder of training camp, but it does not seem he would be absent for a significant portion of the regular season if he indeed misses any time at all. The 22-year-old, who made an impressive rookie season in 2025, concluded the campaign with 47 receptions for 652 yards and two touchdowns.
He was especially efficient in the second half, averaging 17 games from Week 10 onward, which would have resulted in surpassing 1,000 receiving yards. His record-setting 4.6 yards of separation per catch in 2025 and 7.1 yards after catch per reception, tied for the second-most among wide receivers, made him the standout performer in the NFL.
Despite the news of his groin injury, it appears Burden's regular season availability will not be significantly affected, which is a positive outcome given the alternative.
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