If you’re a Bears fan still nursing hangover headaches from years of offensive futility, go ahead and pour yourself another drink. But this time, make it celebratory. Because Rome Odunze is about to get unlocked like a damn cheat code in Madden, and the man holding the key is Ben Johnson.
Let’s get this out of the way: Ben Johnson isn’t just another coordinator. He turned Jared Goff — yes, that Jared Goff — into a Pro Bowl-caliber killer and transformed Detroit into the league’s most efficient, highest-scoring unit (33.2 PPG, 6.2 yards/play, 68% red-zone TD rate, per NFL.com). That system’s coming to Chicago with an even more physically gifted X receiver in Rome Odunze. If that doesn’t get your blood pumping, check your pulse.
This Scheme Was Built to Feed a Beast Like Odunze
Ben Johnson’s playbook is like a well-oiled torture device for defensive coordinators. He lives in 11 and 12 personnel — 94% of all snaps (PFF). That means three wideouts or two tight ends almost every damn play, forcing defenses to either declare their hand or get sliced up by pre-snap motion and layered play-action.
The Bears’ roster? It fits like a glove. Kmet and Colston Loveland give Johnson two legit in-line TEs, while the offensive line is top-five caliber. Translation: expect a buffet of 12-personnel looks that isolate Odunze on the boundary. That’s where Johnson makes his money: creating one-on-ones for the X with smart motion (like Yo-Yo shifts and tight bunches) and ripping apart zone coverage with deep crossers, dig routes, and dagger concepts.
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Odunze thrives on curls and digs (80%+ success) and brutalized press with a 78.9% win rate as a rookie, per Reception Perception. That’s not just “scheme fit” talk — that’s “dude was born for this role” stuff.
Watch the Target Share Rocket
Last year’s Odunze line? Respectable. 101 targets, 54 grabs, 734 yards, 3 TDs. But that was with a staff that treated him like a WR2. Ben Johnson doesn’t do that. He finds his alpha and feeds him like it’s Thanksgiving every Sunday.
Check the numbers (FantasyPros.com): Amon-Ra St. Brown pulled a monstrous 27% target share in Detroit. Odunze drew 19% as a rookie. Expect that to climb to 23-24%, or about 130 targets. That’s a 29% jump in volume, and it’s not fantasy — it’s how Johnson operates. St. Brown got 8.3 targets per game in Detroit. Odunze should live in that range, especially with Keenan Allen out of town and DJ Moore pulling top coverage.
And let’s not forget: Odunze was running routes on 87% of dropbacks already. The usage spike is coming. Book it.
Red-Zone Resurrection
Chicago’s red-zone offense last year? Hot trash. They ranked dead last in red zone drives (2.2/game), making Bears fans nostalgic for the days of Robbie Gould field goals.
Detroit under Johnson? 72 red-zone trips, 50 touchdowns. Best in the league.
Johnson’s red-zone bag is deep: seam-clear outs, dig concepts, motion-to-stack releases, back-line fades. He isolates his best guy in high-leverage spots, and Odunze’s 54% contested catch rate (PlayerProfiler.com) as a rookie screams “throw me the damn ball.” Projecting 6-8 TDs inside the 20 is conservative. Double his rookie total? Easy.
Play-Action: Odunze’s Ticket to the 1,100 Club
Ben Johnson calls play-action on 34% of dropbacks, highest in the NFL (PFF). But here’s the kicker: the average depth of target on those plays? Just 7.7 yards. That’s not bombs away — it’s YAC central. Scheme the open, hit the intermediate, let your guy work.
And guess who ranked fifth among rookies in unrealized air yards last year? Bingo. Rome Odunze.
Half of those get cashed in, and you’re staring at 1,100+ yards. Add that to his projected 80 grabs and 7 TDs, and he’s putting up WR1B numbers. Think Amon-Ra efficiency, but with more chunk plays.
Knock-On Effects: This Offense Just Grew a Spine
Let’s not ignore the ripple effects:
- Caleb Williams now gets a clean pocket from under center. Expect his sack rate to drop from a miserable 9.1% to somewhere sub-6%.
- DJ Moore still eats, getting his touches from jet, orbit, and whip routes a la St. Brown’s motion packages.
- Kmet and Loveland become real chess pieces in 12 personnel, creating matchup nightmares.
And suddenly, this isn’t the offense that made fans cry in their Old Style. This is a top-10 unit waiting to happen.
Final Stat Forecast
Let’s lay it out:
- 2024 Rookie Line: 54-734-3, 8.5 Fantasy PPG
- 2025 Ceiling (17 games): 80 catches, 1,150 yards, 7 TDs, 14.0 Fantasy PPG
And that’s with WR1B volume in a system that wants to weaponize its X.
Final Verdict
Ben Johnson didn’t just elevate Detroit’s offense. He unlocked a system where the X receiver feasts, the QB thrives, and the red zone becomes a bloodbath for opposing defenses. Rome Odunze, already showing signs of stardom, is stepping into that role with a rocket launcher QB and a stacked personnel group behind him.
Get ready for a second-year leap that puts Odunze in every fantasy top-20 list and every DC’s nightmare playlist.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but Johnson might unlock him in one.
