Bears get big injury boost as Luther Burden III finally returns to practice

Luther Burden III returned to the practice field for the first time since suffering a groin injury on Aug. 8.

Burden participated in individual drills Wednesday before heading inside when the Bears transitioned to 7-on-7 work. It was only a limited return, but getting the second-year receiver back onto the field represents a significant step in his recovery.

Meanwhile, right tackle Darnell Wright was back at practice after leaving Tuesday's workout early with an elbow concern.

Luther Burden takes important step toward Week 1 return

Burden's return is the bigger development because of how much time he's already missed.

The injury occurred during the Bears' Aug. 8 training camp practice and has kept Burden sidelined throughout the preseason. Before the injury, Burden had been one of Chicago's most impressive offensive players during the offseason and early stages of camp.

Ben Johnson was already praising Burden during OTAs, even declaring in May that he was "buying Luther Burden stock" after seeing significant improvement from the second-year receiver.

Now the question becomes how quickly Burden can progress from individual work to full-team participation.

The Bears don't need to rush him through the final days of the preseason. Getting him healthy for the regular season is obviously more important than getting him snaps in Saturday's preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans.

Still, Wednesday was the first tangible sign that Burden is getting closer.

Darnell Wright returns after elbow concern

Wright's return should also ease some nerves.

The Bears' star right tackle left Tuesday's practice early because of an elbow issue, but his presence Wednesday suggests the concern may not be significant.

That's important for an offensive line that already has uncertainty at left tackle. Ben Johnson said Tuesday that the Bears still aren't "100% sold" on who will start there in Week 1. Wright is the opposite.

The former first-round pick earned second-team All-Pro honors last season and signed a four-year extension earlier this month that keeps him under contract through 2031.

The Bears need him anchoring the right side while they figure out what's happening on the left.

With the regular-season opener getting closer, Wednesday offered exactly the kind of injury news Chicago needed: Wright is back, and Burden has finally taken his first step back onto the practice field.