Should Bears fans be concerned about Luther Burden’s lingering injury?

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden was supposed to be healthy in time for training camp. He missed almost all of the offseason workout program with a hamstring injury in what seemed like a cautious approach to the prized second-round pick’s health.

But here we are, two days into training camp, and Burden still hasn’t taken the field.

Ben Johnson spoke with the media after practice Thursday and provided some clarity on the former Missouri star’s status.

“We were very hopeful that he’d be ready to go Day 1,” Johnson said. “But the soft tissue that he was dealing with there in the springtime lingered a little bit longer than we wanted. So really, it’s day-to-day with him. Hopeful we’ll get him out there fairly soon, though.”

It could be a lot worse. A day-to-day injury provides hope that he’ll be back on the field sooner than later, but the longer Luther Burden is out, the less likely the odds he’ll make a big impact early in his rookie year.

While everyone heals at a different rate, one of the knocks on Burden during the run-up to the 2025 NFL Draft was his overall commitment to the game. Indeed, he can’t rush himself back before he’s 100% healthy, but, hopefully, he’s doing his part in the trainer’s room to work his way back into the 2025 game plan.