Ryan Poles Made A Wild Comment To Greg Olsen About Luther Burden

The 2nd round of the 2025 NFL draft didn't unfold exactly as the Chicago Bears hoped. As their first pick approached at 39th overall, GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson had eyes for one player. That was Ohio State running back Treveyon Henderson. They felt his explosiveness and versatility would make him a perfect fit in the new offense. Poles even tried trading up to make it happen. Sadly, none of the opportunities came together. Henderson went 38th to the New England Patriots. Unable to dwell on the loss for long, Poles had to pivot. Chicago went with talented Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden instead.

It didn't take long for the team to realize what they got wasn't a consolation prize. After spending the first week of training camp on the sideline with a hamstring injury, Burden entered the fray with a bang. He delivered some big blows to the Bears' defense in drills, showcasing his unique blend of size, strength, speed, and route-running skills. This soon carried over into the preseason opener against Miami, where he had two big catches that set up two scores. It was more of the same against Buffalo on Sunday night, where he had three catches for 49 yards and two huge blocks that led to touchdowns.

During the broadcast, former Bears tight end Greg Olsen revealed a startling revelation. Apparently, Poles told him before the game that Burden has a chance to be the best receiver the Bears have—better than D.J. Moore or Rome Odunze.

Ryan Poles let his intrusive thoughts win on that one.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. People have eyes. It isn't difficult to see that Burden has immense potential. Usually, a young receiver either has raw speed and strength but can't run routes or can run routes but lacks the overall physical ability. Burden has both. That is the scary part. Now you put him in the hands of Ben Johnson, one of the NFL's best and most creative play callers, and under the guidance of wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, a former Super Bowl champion. In hindsight, people probably should've seen this immediate ascent coming. Ryan Poles isn't wrong. As good as Moore and Odunze are and will be for years to come, Burden has the chance to become a legitimate superstar. There is nothing he can't do.