Things can change quickly in the NFL, and Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze is on the hot seat in training camp.
Odunze, the No. 9 pick in the 2024 draft, is facing a pivotal year in Year 3 while coming off of a stress fracture in his left foot. The receiver told reporters this spring that he has a “new normal” after the injury.
This is my new normal,” Odunze said. “And it’s not from a standpoint that I’m always in pain, but the way my foot broke, there’s callouses in there that create a different type of foot structure with those bones — different types of things that kind of shift things around.
“So my new normal is kind of what I am going into.”
Courtney Cronin of ESPN named Odunze as one of five players that have the most to show in training camp this summer. Luther Burden III had a phenomenal rookie season, and he could usurp Odunze as the WR1 after DJ Moore was traded to the Buffalo Bills this offseason.
“If Odunze’s “new normal” allows him to live up to his status as the No. 9 draft pick, then his career trajectory will continue moving upward,” Cronin wrote. “But with a hungry Luther Burden III also eyeing the distinction as the Bears’ top wideout, Odunze has to prove he can cement himself in that role.”
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Jun 11, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) run on the field during Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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Odunze was Caleb Williams’ No. 1 receiver until the injury. He wound up finishing third in receiving with 661 yards and six touchdowns on 44 receptions. Tight end Colston Loveland became the Bears’ leading receiver last season after Odunze’s injury.
The Bears believe Odunze will still be a key contributor this season despite the changes to the receiver’s foot. That’s not the question heading into training camp.
The question is what will the Bears’ long-term vision of Odunze be going into the offseason? Odunze will be eligible for a contract extension after the season is over. They could decide to pick up his fifth-year option during the 2027 offseason.
All of those decisions will depend on the output Odunze has this season.
The Bears have a plethora of riches at tight ends and receivers, which means it will be hard for Chicago to keep all of those hands on the team when Williams eventually signs a mega-quarterback deal.
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