Bears WR Luther Burden III in Concussion Protocol After Late Hit vs. Bucs

Bears receiver Luther Burden III suffered a concussion late in Sunday night's 27-24 win over the Buccaneers and is now in the concussion protocol, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.

The injury came at the end of one of Burden's best nights. He caught seven of nine targets for 97 yards and a touchdown, including a 56-yard catch, as Chicago survived four Caleb Williams interceptions to win. He did lose a fumble.

Burden has become a major part of the Bears' passing game in his second season. He has 49 catches for 644 yards and four touchdowns, and he's been on a roll lately, with 30 catches for 425 yards and three scores over his past five games.

The timing works in Chicago's favor. The Bears are on their bye in Week 10, which gives Burden extra time to clear the protocol's steps before the next game. Players have to be symptom-free and pass a series of evaluations, including clearance from an independent neurological consultant, before they can return, so there's no set timeline.

Chicago improved to 7-2 with the win and sits in a crowded NFC North race alongside the 6-1 Vikings, 6-2 Lions and 6-3 Packers. Keeping Burden available for the stretch run matters, because he's become one of Williams' most dependable targets.

For the full breakdown of Sunday night's game, see our Bears-Buccaneers recap.