ClutchPoints
The Chicago Bears entered the 2025 NFL Draft with something they hadn’t possessed in a long time—momentum. For a fanbase that’s seen far too many false dawns, the arrival of Caleb Williams was reason to believe this time might actually be different. General manager Ryan Poles had already made savvy moves in free agency and was lauded for surrounding Williams with an arsenal of playmakers. The buzz was real. The vision was compelling. However, somewhere along the line, conviction blurred into a bit of carelessness. For all their smart maneuvering, the Bears may have fumbled the most crucial part of the offseason—the draft. And it all started with one avoidable mistake: selecting Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III in the second round.
Chicago’s offseason aggression was supposed to set the table for a best-player-available approach in the draft. Poles himself said as much. This basically signaled that their free agency moves meant the board was wide open. In theory, this was true. In practice, there were still gaping needs that required long-term solutions. The left tackle position primarily remained a question mark. Note that Braxton Jones is entering a contract year and showed mixed results against elite edge rushers. The backfield had been bolstered by the addition of D’Andre Swift. Still, it lacked a complementary bruiser or change-of-pace threat. And on defense, the Bears still needed a true disruptor. They needed someone who could bring double-digit sack potential either from the edge or the interior line. So yes, the board was open—but it shouldn’t have been that open.
Here we’ll try to to look at the biggest mistake that the Chicago Bears’ executed during the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Bears’ draft weekend will be remembered more for the hype than the substance. Yes, Williams has plenty of toys now. These include first-round tight end Colston Loveland and 2024 first-rounder Rome Odunze. That said, after a strong start to the offseason, Chicago made a questionable call when it used its second-round pick on Luther Burden III. He is a dynamic but redundant wide receiver out of Missouri.
Let’s get something straight: Burden is a talented player. At Missouri, he was electric with the ball in his hands and showed flashes of the kind of playmaker who can thrive in a modern, spread-out offense. He has shades of Deebo Samuel in his game. This is particularly true with his ability to break tackles and operate in space. That doesn’t mean he was the right fit for Chicago, though. That’s especially not now, not with this roster construction, and certainly not after what the team invested in Odunze and DJ Moore.
Even more puzzling is what the Bears passed up in order to get Burden. At this point, offensive tackle was the obvious position to reinforce. Again, this was especially urgent given Williams’ high-pressure style and how poorly Chicago’s line held up last season. Remember...
