Chicago Bears fans can breathe sigh of relief with Luther Burden signing

The entire Chicago Bears’ 2025 NFL Draft class is signed, sealed, and delivered now that the team has inked second-round wide receiver Luther Burden to a fully guaranteed, four-year deal.

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted on X, Burden’s contract represents the first time the 39th overall pick has ever received a fully guaranteed deal.

There was a growing concern that the Bears could be without Burden when Chicago’s rookies report to training camp on July 19. That won’t be the case now. And GM Ryan Poles deserves credit.

As longtime Chicago Bears insider Gene Chamberlain noted on Sports Illustrated, Poles could’ve played hardball. He could’ve waited until players selected just before and after Burden inked their deals.

He didn’t. As a result, the Bears will benefit.

“The Bears did not quibble over a few hundred thousand dollars in measly guaranteed cash the way some teams might and actually did,” Chamberlain wrote. “The 49ers did it, apparently, because Alfred Collins, taken four picks after Burden, did not get a fully guaranteed deal. Why get picky with this when no one debated about the millions for Ben Johnson when he signed to be coach?”

In all fairness to Chamberlain, I don’t think it’s an apples-to-apples contract comparison between Burden and Johnson’s deals. However, the point about not quibbling over guaranteed money, when it’s obvious this will be a new normal with NFL rookie contracts, is spot on.

Chicago Bears didn’t mess around with Luther Burden deal

“They didn’t use the excuse of 36th pick Quinshon Judkins being unsigned while the 35th pick, Nick Emmanwori, got a guaranteed contract,” Chamberlain continued. “They could have just said they needed to see what happened to TreVeyon Henderson at 38 or even to Saints quarterback Tyler Shough at No. 40. Nope, they just signed him and got it over with the way it should be done. If the Patriots, who drafted Henderson, or the Browns or the Saints or Dolphins didn’t like it, tough. They don’t owe those teams a thing.”

As I’ve said many times before, deadlines spark deals. And the Chicago Bears’ hard deadline was July 19. Deadline met, deal done.

Now, Luther Burden can focus on becoming one of the primary wide receivers in Ben Johnson’s offense. Sure, he’ll compete with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze for targets. But even as the third option in Caleb Williams’ pecking order, there will be plenty of chances to have a big rookie season.

It would’ve been a shame for that rookie season to be delayed by a contract holdout. Fortunately, it won’t be.