The Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills just came together on a blockbuster trade involving wide receiver DJ Moore, and one implication of the trade is pretty clear-cut proof that the Denver Broncos whiffed in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Broncos felt like they couldn't believe their luck when Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron fell to them at pick No. 20 overall in last year's draft, but Barron played sparingly as a rookie, and his projection going forward is a question mark at best.
When the Broncos picked Barron, they could have had Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III, a playmaker whose projection was somewhere between the 1st and 2nd round. Burden ended up falling to the Bears on Day 2, where they scooped him up with the 39th overall pick. That selection, combined with Burden's development as a rookie, gave the Bears the confidence they needed to trade away such a prominent playmaker like DJ Moore.
Broncos whiffed badly by not drafting WR Luther Burden III in the 2025 NFL Draft
As a rookie, Burden showed he could be a huge asset for Ben Johnson and the Bears, catching 47 passes on 60 targets. But it was really his involvement that ramped up in the second half of the season that likely made the Bears feel like they could trade someone of DJ Moore's caliber.
After coming back from an injury, Burden exploded with eight catches for 138 yards in the back-and-forth matchup between the Bears and 49ers.
As a rookie, he had multiple games with over 100 yards receiving, and the Bears look like they've found an excellent core of playmakers between Burden, 2024 first-round pick Rome Odunze, and star tight end in the making Colston Loveland.
The Broncos don't have to be envious of what Burden did for the Bears last year, but perhaps of what he can do for them going forward. And what this team has been missing so badly for Bo Nix over the past two seasons. The Broncos still lack clarity at the wide receiver position, even though they have a number of players they "like" at the position.
Perhaps the wording that's been used there is intentional. The Broncos undoubtedly "like" their receivers, but do they love their receivers? They've made multiple attempts (Stefon Diggs, Jaylen Waddle, and others) to upgrade the position, but to no avail.
Maybe this offseason, we'll get a true idea of whether or not the team loves its receiver room, or just likes it. But someone like Burden, who was there for the taking and came to Denver for a pre-draft visit, could have been a big help.