Bears fans can finally stop worrying about Rome Odunze, take a deep breath, and start enjoying the Caleb Williams-Odunze show.
During the first round of OTAs, the Chicago Bears received somewhat concerning news about Odunze’s hamstring. The ninth-overall pick missed practice at rookie minicamp, bringing back awful memories for Bears fans who are used to seeing their star rookies suffer career-altering injuries early in their careers.
It turns out, however, that there is nothing to worry about. Odunze is back at practice, already catching passes from Caleb Williams.
The Bears’ social media account is right: we certainly can get used to this.
Not only is it great to see Odunze being able to beat his defender, but it’s also important that he and Williams start building chemistry together. A lost offseason would have derailed both rookies’ first season in the league.
Now, Williams has the rest of the summer to build the connection with his pass-catchers. With the addition of Keenan Allen, the rookie will have an elite unit of playmakers including DJ Moore, Allen, Odunze, and tight end Cole Kmet.
To begin the season, Odunze will likely be behind Allen and Moore as the WR3. However, the former University of Washington star will have a chance to move up in the offensive hierarchy.
Odunze finished his final year at Washington with 92 catches, 1,640 yards, and 13 touchdowns, with a whopping yards per catch at 17.8, showcasing his ability to make big plays.
On FanDuel Sportsbook, the Bears are given -110 odds and an implied 50% chance to make the playoffs. They need Odunze and Williams to meet and hopefully exceed expectations to have a shot in the stacked NFC North.
