The Chicago Bears felt they were getting a potential star when they drafted Rome Odunze 9th overall last year. While the 2024 season wasn’t a full breakout by any means, the rookie still had some major flash moments. It was felt that with more work and a better offensive system, the wide receiver could become a stud in 2025. Three games into the season, those projections look accurate. He already has four touchdowns and is leading the team in yards. Every sign points to a player who has flipped the switch.
Advanced stats lean into this, too. Check out Odunze’s splits against man coverage and zone coverage this year.
Vs. Man
- 8 targets
- 6 catches
- 86 yards
- 2 TDs
- 149.0 rating
Vs. Zone
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
- 14 targets
- 8 catches
- 137 yards
- 2 TDs
- 130.1 rating
It’s almost identical. There isn’t anything defenses can do to stop him. He understands how to beat both. That wasn’t the case last year. Odunze struggled against man, catching only 48% of the 33 passes thrown to him, including three drops. That strategy no longer works. He has answers for anything defenses try.
Rome Odunze is succeeding where many others failed.
People talk about the Bears’ woes at the quarterback position. They don’t mention how nearly as bad it’s been at wide receiver. The franchise has misfired several times with high draft picks in recent years. You had David Terrell, Mark Bradley, Juaquin Iglesias, Kevin White, Anthony Miller, and Velus Jones. Even bright spots like Alshon Jeffery didn’t last too long. Rome Odunze feels like the first player in years who might have actual staying power. He’s big, strong, fast, and has a clear mastery of how to run routes. Add the relentless work ethic, and you get somebody who figures to have a long, productive NFL career. Ryan Poles gets plenty of grief from fans, much of it deserved. This is one pick he deserves credit for making happen.
@Skeeter Don’t overly worry about the defense. The Bears don’t have “brand name” defensive players, but because of injuries, we haven’t seen how the position coaches have developed players, or Dennis Allen will use them as they return. Austin Booker might make a difference, and this next game is his last on IR. Robinson’s complementary sack (the down and distance, the score and the play design all contributed to his sack – so I’m not overly impressed), but Eberflus (defensive “genius”) never gave him opportunities to gain experience by playing extensive minutes, after theoretically being “coached up,” by Travis Smith… Read more »
Note: on Williams pass to Odunze for a touchdown, how much “processing time,” did Williams need, or take?
Who CALLED that play? Shane Waldron ?
Same two players from last year. Both did similar things in COLLEGE!
(Touchdowns.)
What is different? Oh yeah, the coaching.
It was obvious generally, across the NFL, that Rome Odunze was a talented, highly regarded draft picks. That Poles drafted him, rather than another positional pick, might be debated by outsiders, but he was a quality pick by any observer. Why did Malik Nabers have such a sensational year, as opposed to Odunze? Simple, Brian Daboll allowed Nabers to be on the field, and running routes (even with a motley crue of quarterbacks), while Waldron and Eberflus tried to protect their “winning percentage” by disallowing Odunze to participate fully in their disastrous season (where they both got fired for gross… Read more »
Jordo, you are not alone in your suspicions.
I just got paid $22k working off my laptop this month!** And if you think that’s cool, my divorced friend has twin toddlers and made over $22620 her first month.details on this website**Want the secret?** Copy this Website and choose HOME TECH OR MEDIA……..
.
Here is I started_______ www.Jobathome1.Com