The Chicago Bears conducted their joint practice with the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday. Now the two teams prepare to square off in their preseason game. It is unlikely the starter for either team will play much, if at all. That means what people saw in that practice was as close to serious as these two teams were. If that is the case, several names stood out positively. For the Bengals, the star of the show was big trade acquisition Dexter Lawrence, who dominated several drills. The same was true for Tee Higgins. On the Bears’ side, Caleb Williams and Colston Loveland drew most of the praise. And Rome Odunze.
That is what Bengals beat writer Ben Baby had to say during an interview with 104.3 The Score. Williams and Loveland were fantastic, but he was somewhat surprised that people haven’t been talking about Odunze. The Bears’ wide receiver went toe-to-toe with Cincinnati’s best cornerback, D.J. Turner, on several reps and won them cleanly. He looked sharp as a tack. If anybody seems poised for a big season in Chicago, it is Odunze. That would be sweet music for Bears fans.
Rome Odunze knows he has something to prove.
Last season should’ve been his breakout year. It certainly started that way. His first several games saw him score touchdowns and put up yards at a Pro Bowl clip. He was on pace to clear 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns with ease. Then he fractured his foot. Unwilling to go with surgery, Odunze played the rest of the year in lots of pain. It was pretty easy to tell. His speed and explosiveness weren’t quite there. To his credit, he still made some huge plays for the team. That said, many weren’t sure what to expect from him in 2026.
Based on early indications, the Bears are getting a wide receiver with a chip on his shoulder. Rome Odunze knows the pressure is on him. The team already traded D.J. Moore in the offseason. Luther Burden has missed time with a groin injury. The receiving corps needs him to stay healthy and effective. There is also the contract situation. Darnell Wright got his extension this year. The Bears are likely planning to do the same with Williams next offseason. Is Odunze in their plans as well? This season will determine that.
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Odunze certainly did his part in the game itself.
He and Williams connected on an 18-yard play during the first series of the game. They also probably should’ve had a first down conversion later in the drive, but it fell incomplete. Replays indicate Cincinnati got away with a hold. Chicago settled for a field goal. If nothing else, it was a reminder that the two remain on the same page. Williams hasn’t lost his confidence in Odunze’s playmaking ability. The receiver showed his ability to get open. It’s only about finding the right rhythm.
This brief stint in a game-like atmosphere will only help with that. Odunze appears healthy. That is the most important thing. If he can finish what he started last season, he will fulfill the immense promise the Bears saw in him when they drafted him 9th overall. His confidence doesn’t seem shaken. The only thing to do is go out and play the games. The Bears want him to take over. Even people from other teams see the possibilities.
