The Chicago Bears have been dragged into unexpected trade drama involving star wide receiver Rome Odunze, thanks to his father’s social media activity.
The Bears moved to 5-3 on the season following a dramatic, last-minute win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, but Odunze’s father, James, was not feeling the positive vibes on Victory Monday after his son caught zero of his three targets in the matchup.
Throughout Monday, James Odunze reposted multiple posts on his X account that took a critical stance against how the Bears have used their 2024 first-round pick. One such post read: “Rome Odunze should be seeing at least 10 targets per game. This is insane.”
The most damning repost read: “Can the Bears trade Rome Odunze to a team that will actually throw to him?” Odunze reposted it twice, the second time with a red pin emoji.
The views of Odunze’s father are not necessarily reflective of how the receiver himself is feeling about his usage with the Bears, but the last thing the Bears need is the creation of more drama off the field, especially with one of their most talented offensive players.
Fortunately for the Bears, a potential trade demand isn’t even a remote possibility at this stage in the season. The NFL trade deadline is quite literally at 4 p.m. ET today, not that the Bears would likely indulge a request like that from a top-10 pick in any case.
The Bears can only hope that James Odunze’s frustrated social media posts are little more than a passionate father who only wants the best for his budding star of a son.
Bears Have Treated Rome Odunze Like No. 1 Receiver
Odunze finished a game without a catch for the first time in his NFL career on Sunday, but it isn’t as if the Bears have ignored him in their offensive game plans this season.
Despite his nothingburger against the Bengals, Odunze continues to lead the Bears in receptions (31), receiving yards (473), receiving touchdowns (five) and targets (59)at the onset of Week 10. He has also received at least seven targets in five of eight games, including his 10-target game against the Baltimore Ravens in the previous week.
Moreover, Odunze had his chances against the Bengals. He had a reception reversed on a trick-play pass from tight end Cole Kmet after a review showed that Odunze did not secure the pass while going to the ground. A touchdown pass also hit him in the hands in the end zone, though a defender tipped the pass and knocked it a little behind him.
There’s certainly a case to be made that Odunze should be even more involved in the offense than he currently is, but his zero-catch performance is not indicative of how the Bears have valued him within the first year of Ben Johnson’s new offense in 2025.
Could Bears Move DJ Moore at NFL Trade Deadline?
The Bears have no reason to want to trade Odunze — and, frankly, he has no reason to want a trade — but could they potentially make a move with veteran starter DJ Moore before the NFL trade deadline passes at 4 p.m. ET today, as analysts have suggested?
The offseason investments in Loveland (first-round pick) and Burden (second-rounder) and the emergence of Odunze have generated rumors about Moore as a potential trade chip over the past several months. While the receiver room is more crowded than it was in 2024, though, the Bears have few compelling reasons to want to trade away Moore.
For starters, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is still finding his footing. Odunze might be his favorite target, but Moore is their offense’s most experienced receiver and adds immense value for a developing quarterback that the Bears cannot afford to toss aside.
Additionally, the Bears just signed Moore to a long-term extension in August 2024, one that ties him to the team through the 2029 season. Even though they could shift things around to make it work financially, trading Moore just doesn’t make sense right now.
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