Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze is entering a critical second season in the NFL in 2025. After being selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Odunze had something of a disappointing Year 1 with the Bears, finishing with 54 catches for 734 yards and three touchdowns.
Indeed, Odunze's underwhelming rookie season wasn't all his fault, as ESPN's Ben Solak noted in a recent outlook for many of the NFL's second-year wideouts.
"According to ESPN's charting, Odunze saw 37 targets that were overthrown or underthrown, which led all receivers by a lot," Solak wrote. "Courtland Sutton was second with 29."
As the old scouting saying goes, box scores often lie. Odunze's 2024 stat line certainly did.
Chicago Bears WR Rome Odunze has a lot to prove in 2025
Let's face it: when other first-year wideouts like Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., and Ladd McConkey became instant NFL superstars, Odunze's year -- lowlighted by 10 games with three or fewer receptions -- was annoying.
And it's why his second season, the first under new coach Ben Johnson, is so important for his short and long-term outlook. The Bears aren't banking on an Odunze-or-bust strategy; they drafted Luther Burden III, a first-round talent, in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, which is a clear and obvious message to the rest of the wide receiver room: targets will be earned on the field, not based on draft status.
"Early returns will be significant from the new coaching staff in Chicago," Solak continued. "Coach Ben Johnson runs a highly detailed offense, and if Odunze isn't sharp with his landmarks and route breaks, there are plenty of pass-catching options in that Bears locker room who could jump him on the depth chart. But if Odunze's development was simply stunted a year by a bad environment in Chicago, we'll also see that fairly quickly during camp. He's one to watch in August, as he tries to improve on his 734 yards and three TDs from 2024."
Odunze was viewed as a top-10 prospect last year for a reason. He blends high-level route-running with elite athletic traits and body control. His rookie season suffered for reasons that extend way beyond him, and with Johnson, a revamped offensive line giving Caleb Williams more time to throw, and a year of experience under his belt, a true breakout year is in the cards for Odunze, whom the Bears view as a cornerstone on offense.
