Second-year receiver Luther Burden III is catching the attention of those inside Halas Hall during the Bears' offseason program, including coach Ben Johnson.

"I'm buying Luther Burden stock right now," Johnson told reporters ahead of Thursday's OTA practice.

In the five weeks since the start of the offseason program, Burden has exhibited exponential growth, from his daily mindset to his playmaking abilities on the field.

"Just how he's approached his offseason," Johnson continued, "it's been electric and that showed up yesterday. He had numerous explosive plays. I loved how in Phase 2, he was finishing every single rep that he took. That really translated over to yesterday as well. He's in a really good spot."

"He's still developing and growing his route tree. Coach [Antwaan Randle] El and Isaiah Ford — they've done a phenomenal job with him working to develop those things. Speed cuts to sharp breaks, releases, things of that nature. He's been extremely coachable. I'm really happy with him."

The 39th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Burden was one of several rookies who made significant contributions last season. In 15 regular-season games, Burden caught 47 of his 60 targets from quarterback Caleb Williams, totaling 652 yards and two touchdowns, while adding six receptions for 66 yards in the Bears' two postseason contests.

When asked what he's done to put himself in a position to increase that production in his sophomore season, Burden kept it simple.

"I was just here," Burden said. "Working, working, working.

"I was just trying to get bigger, faster, stronger, get more familiar with the playbook, make sure I come in comfortable, so I can play faster."

Burden's work ethic comes as no surprise to the coaching staff – his passion for football and ultra-competitive nature were two reasons why the Bears were attracted to him during last year's draft process.

Burden himself has made that clear since entering the NFL. Just 24 hours after being drafted, during his introductory press conference at Halas Hall, he told reporters: "I love football to death. It's my life."

While the Missouri product didn't have the chance to fully display that love or his full skillset last offseason after suffering an injury in rookie minicamp that sidelined him for most of the spring and summer, he never wavered from his mindset. Teammates could feel that sense of urgency from Burden throughout his rookie campaign.

"Got a young man that's hungry, that knows his ability, confident," veteran running back D'Andre Swift said. "Because every day he goes to work, he knows his ability, and it shows.

"I sensed [that hunger] last year, when he first walked in the building. Once you meet him and talk to him and see his style of play, what you see is what you get, and that's who he is every single day."

Getting more comfortable in Johnson's offense, understanding the myriad opportunities it provides the unit's playmakers and being 100% healthy during this year's offseason program have given Burden an even more intense sense of urgency.

Burden's hunger as an individual is geared toward one thing.

"Just prove, you know, that I am who I say I am."

And who is that exactly?

"The guy. I'm that guy."

While Burden's progress toward reaching that level will really be put to the test once pads come on and live action begins during training camp, he has shown several reasons to be confident in his ability to rise to the challenge once that time comes.

"I think when we drafted him, we saw an explosive athlete who was really dangerous with the ball in his hands," Johnson said. "The question was how can we get it in his hands? The easy things to do are screens or short throws. But I think there's a lot more to his game that we've worked to unlock, and he's been really receptive to how we can get that done.

"He ran a route yesterday, that was the first time he'd ran that route, and he ran it as well as I've been around. Things like that really get you excited as a coach."

Johnson also noted that Burden's speed has stood out to him. While he has always been known as a speedster, Johnson is seeing improvement in how Burden is utilizing that speed within the structure of a play.

"He looks like he's playing at a different speed right now," Johnson said. "And you knew he had it in him. He's a 4.4 guy, and yet, those time speeds don't always translate to real speed, football speed, the game tape – and so I think we're starting to see that now he's playing, he's not thinking as much, and he knows what we're trying to do."

For Burden, the game is slowing down ahead of his sophomore season, and the continuity on offense, from coaches to scheme to teammates to the quarterback, is only expediting his growth.

The Bears return the majority of their skill position players heading into the 2026 season, including receivers Burden, Rome Odunze and Jahdae Walker, tight ends Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland as well as running backs Swift and Kyle Monangai. The Bears also added veteran receiver Kalif Raymond in free agency as well as Stanford tight end Sam Roush and LSU receiver Zavion Thomas on Day 2 of the draft.

Several of those pass catchers spent time together alongside Williams in the offseason to continue building chemistry both with the third-year QB individually and as a group.

"It was great," Burden said, "because we're off for a certain amount of time and you want to get back on the same page as your quarterback and get that chemistry back up and where it was from the end of the season. So we're just looking to continue to make that growth."

As the Bears progress through OTAs and enter veteran minicamp in the next couple of weeks, Burden will continue getting opportunities to showcase his playmaking ability and value to the offense. And despite Johnson's high praise Thursday, Burden is solely focused on the work ahead and continuing to improve each day.

"I'm just locked in every single day," Burden said. "Come here, ready to work, ready to get better, ready to get coached up, ready to win games."