The Chicago Bears have high expectations for Rome Odunze this season. Understandably so. The former 9th overall pick showed serious flashes last season. While he may not have cracked 1,000 yards like many hoped, he was still productive despite obvious coaching issues. The Bears seem to have addressed the latter problem. Ben Johnson brings a far more proven system with him from Detroit, and word is he’s already a big fan of Odunze. With Keenan Allen gone, it is a safe assumption that a larger portion of the target share will go his way.
However, Odunze will have to earn it like everybody else. Sources reached out to SM with updates about what’s happening at Halas Hall. It sounds like the receiver looks much improved across the board from his rookie season. In fact, some have described his playing style, ability, and confidence as resembling Brandon Marshall’s back in the early 2010s. Odunze has the same mix of imposing size, strength, and deceptive route-running skills that make him almost impossible to cover.
Rome Odunze has one big advantage over Marshall.
He doesn’t carry the same baggage. As brilliant as the former Pro Bowler was, his fatal flaw was his emotional state, which was in constant flux. That came from his bipolar disorder, which Marshall battled throughout his entire career. When he was focused, he was one of the best receivers in football. Between 2012 and 2013, he was a superstar. Unfortunately, everything fell apart in 2014 as the team struggled. Rome Odunze has no such problem. His mental state is consistent and focused. All he needs is a good offense to find him openings and a quarterback to deliver the football. Both appear in place now. We all saw what Marshall could be to this offense. Odunze has every tool to do the same—perhaps more.
Marshall was a beast man. On and off the field he battled demons, but also has done so many positive things for the community. He used his disability as a resource to help others and I respect that man’s journey. It was so exciting to watch guys like Brandon Alshon and Forte crushing defenses. Hopefully Ben will be able to put it all together and give us something special to watch on Sundays again.
Brandon Marshall wasn’t just an excellent receiver, he worked hard to maintain and increase his abilities, building facilities in his ho.e in Florida, inviting other receivers and QBs to train with him off-season. I remember a play in which a poorly thrown pass was intercepted, and he took the ball away from the defender to break up the interceptions.. I felt that kind of aggressiveness defined great receivers and encouraged the protection of quarterbacks by other team members. Too bad that the Bears had such inept coaching and coordination in those years. (They had the talent to win multiple Super… Read more »
Brandon Marshall might have benefitted from consuming psychedelic mushrooms. Just don’t pick or eat the death caps. I hear the best ones are found in Ireland and Wales. Mental health might require experimentation.
Rome Odunze is a perfectionist (Remember that NFL Combine test, he would not quit?).
HC Ben and his competent crew (props to Dr. Steven Sallie for the inspiration) will give this young receiver all the work he can handle.
Like @jmscooby (IIRC) I would have taken Brock Bowers — but Rome was a great pick.
Thankfully, AGM, Ian Cunningham stopped Ryan Poles from trading up to get the player that would ultimately, fall to them.
You can’t make this stuff up.
So very thankful that Rome and I have virtually perfect mental health and strong bodies. Too bad the other WRs and DBs cannot be more firmly grounded in reality.