Excitement is high around the Chicago Bears going into 2026. Much of this is because so many of their younger players are showing signs of blossoming. Caleb Williams had arguably the best season a Bears quarterback has ever put together last year. Tight end Colston Loveland looked unstoppable down the stretch. Luther Burden was a spark plug. Austin Booker finished the year with 4.5 sacks in his final six games. Ironically, the only one who isn’t generating much positive buzz is Rome Odunze.
That is hard to believe. The former 9th overall pick has flashed tons of promise over his first two seasons in Chicago. He got off to a hot start last season before a foot injury derailed his moment. Now people have cooled on him. Granted, it’s not just the health concerns. Odunze has dealt with drop issues in both of his first two years, and he isn’t showcasing true go-to receiver ability, particularly in contested catch situations. The Athletic labeled him as the player with the most on the line going into 2026.
“Selected eight picks after quarterback Caleb Williams, Odunze has shown so much promise, but his sophomore NFL season was marred in a foot injury and uncharacteristic drops. He has said that his “new normal” is getting used to his foot following the fracture, which sent shudders through the Bears fan base. If Odunze can put it all together and be the team’s No. 1 receiver, he — like his quarterback — would be in line for a massive payday. The Bears haven’t given a multiyear contract extension to a receiver they drafted since Earl Bennett in 2011.”
Rome Odunze is at a pivotal crossroads.
The Bears drafted him with the express intent of being the #1 wide receiver in this offense at some point. He has that level of talent. The problem is he hasn’t quite seized it due to complicating factors. Part of it is health-related. The other part is the inconsistency. As he’s struggled to consistently make plays for his quarterback, others have stepped up. Loveland and Burden were far better at catching the football last season. Odunze didn’t lose his quarterback’s faith, but he clearly has some concentration issues to get past.
What makes it so vexing from the Bears’ perspective is that there weren’t any signs of this in college. Odunze caught the ball with unerring precision, and he never missed snaps. Seeing him deal with both issues is difficult to stomach. The ability is there. Finding the rhythm is the goal. Like it or not, this upcoming season is a massive one for the wide receiver. Not only is he battling for targets in a suddenly crowded receiving corps, but also his second contract.
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There is some good news.
For one, the foot is healthy. While the feel of it is different from what he’s used to, Rome Odunze seems to have handled practicing on it just fine. If that remains the case, regaining his old form won’t be a concern. The other is the target share. With D.J. Moore gone, the Bears will redistribute his targets to other offensive players. Odunze figures to be among those who get a healthy chunk. He was targeted 90 times in 12 games last season. If he and Williams still have that same chemistry, he could see a career-high in targets this year.
The goal should be 1,000 yards. Most agree this is the milestone receivers must hit to justify their high draft position. The last 1st round pick the Bears drafted to hit this market was Curtis Conway. That should tell you how tough the sledding has been at the position for the past 30 years. Odunze wants to be the one to break all the franchise receiving records. It must start with staying on the field and executing when called upon.
