For all the concern about Rome Odunze’s right foot — he declared in June that he was facing a “new normal” after missing five games last season last year with a stress fracture — the Bears wide receiver made it through the summer just fine.
Until Thursday.
He left after the walk-through period of the team’s last practice before a three-day break. Odunze seemed to be favoring his right foot after a misstep. Odunze wanted to remain in practice, but was escorted off by a trainer. A source said that the move appeared to be precautionary and that early indications were positive.
“It’s an adjustment,” receiver Kalif Raymond said afterward. “But, also, we’re praying that he’s OK.”
The Bears won’t return to Halas Hall until they hold a light practice Monday. On Tuesday — the next day coach Ben Johnson is scheduled to talk to the media — the team will hold a more strenuous practice. The Bears don’t owe the NFL its first injury report of the season until Wednesday. Until then, though, another injury is the last thing the Bears — or Odunze — needs. In 12 games last season, he had 661 receiving yards on 44 catches, a step back from his rookie season.
The Bears need Odunze to be productive — and healthy — this year. They went into the offseason with one of the league’s most intriguing wide receiver trios — and quickly turned it into a duo. Their decision to trade DJ Moore to the Bills opened up salary cap space in 2026 and into the future, when the Bears hope they have to pay Caleb Williams like a franchise quarterback. It also put the onus on Odunze and Luther Burden to perform like one of the best receiver pairings in the NFL.
The Bears would be thrilled if they were merely the best in the NFC North.
The bar in the division, though, is sky high.
No wide receiver duo in the NFL was better last year than the Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, who combined for 2,518 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns last year. The Vikings boast perennial superstar Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, who combined for 126 catches, 1,658 yards and five scores.
Odunze and Burden were far off their pace, catching 91 passes for 1,313 yards and eight touchdowns.
Johnson’s passing attack will undoubtedly feature tight ends Colston Loveland — the Bears’ leading receiver last year — and Cole Kmet. Running back D’Andre Swift has caught more than three passes per game during his career. Newcomers Zavion Walker and Raymond will be part of the Bears’ speed packages, and Jahdae Walker will look to build on his strong finish to last year.
If the Bears are going to be dynamic, though, it has to come from their top wide receiver duo.
Odunze and Burden had drastically different training camps. Odunze spent camp looking like the player who had five touchdown catches over the first four games last year. Burden came in with more buzz than any other Bears player — Johnson notoriously said he’d buy stock in the second-year receiver if he could — before hurting his groin when he went up for a contested catch against Tyrique Stevenson on Aug. 8. He returned to full practice status just this week and is expected to be ready for the season opener Sept. 13 in Carolina.
Ben Johnson called Odunze, the ninth pick of the 2024 draft, “Mr. Consistency” during training camp. When Johnson called a run play against the Titans during joint practice last week, Odunze nailed a safety on a crackback block. His coach positively levitated.
“That inspires me to, not want to get him the football,” Johnson said. “But I need to get him the football when I see things like that. …
“He’s doing all the little things, the things that maybe other people don’t notice and the coaching staff is very appreciative of, because it’s going to help us win games. He’s going to be a key cog in what we do.”
Their playing styles are different. The Bears want Odunze to be a deep threat who catches the ball at the highest point possible.
“Being able to stretch the field vertically … “ quarterback Caleb Williams said. “One-on-one opportunities creates more of an advantage for us. That’s what we’re trying to figure out and find.”
They want Burden to get the ball in his hands and then do damage — last year, he finished third among qualifying receivers in yards after catch per reception.
Odunze spent training camp trying to master some of what made Burden so good — and vice versa.
“I feel like my route running is up there, but I have a few [things] that I can clear up and make even better,” Odunze said recently. “Yards after catch — run after catch — is definitely something I’m looking to improve on as well. I’m watching Luther’s tape, looking at how he’s making defenders miss.”
Burden has high expectations for himself, too.
“I expect to have a good explosive year. …” he said last month. “High explosive plays. Making people miss. Scoring touchdowns. Winning games.”
