The Chicago Bears are looking to finally break out of the offense rut that their teams have been stuck in since what feels like forever.
The push for that will obviously – for the most part – come down to the play of quarterback, Caleb Williams, in executing the scheme of new head coach, Ben Johnson. But it will be critical that some of the younger, emerging talents on the roster do their part to raise up the unit that is, on paper, very promising.
With both highly drafted rookies – receiver Luther Burden III and tight end, Colston Loveland, still on the sidelines as of last month’s mandatory minicamp – much of the burden of the offense’s development could be on the shoulders of 2024 9th overall pick, Rome Odunze, who managed 734 receiving yards and three touchdowns in his debut season in the NFL.
However, Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson expects the Washington alum to take a big leap this coming season, naming Odunze one of the five wideouts he believes will “break out” in 2025.
Rome Odunze Predicted To Have A Big 2025 Season?
“Rome Odunze’s rookie season was good, not great.” Parson wrote on Monday, “For a top-10 pick, expectations may have been a little over the top. He didnât join a receiving corps where he was the unquestioned WR1, like Malik Nabers or Marvin Harrison Jr. did. The Bears paired Odunze with DJ Moore, Cole Kmet at tight end and veteran receiver Keenan Allen. There were a lot of mouths to feed for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
Factoring in the porous coaching we all witnessed last year, a lot did not go in Odunze’s favor. Now, Ben Johnson is the new head coach and offensive mastermind coming from NFC North rivals, the Detroit Lions. This offense is surely going to look and operate cleaner and more crisp with a confident second-year quarterback at the helm.”
Parson points to the absence of recently departed free agent, Keenan Allen, as a reason for Odunze’s projected spike in production – alongside the expected improvements made by Johnson and Williams to the Bears’ offense this upcoming year.
“Without Keenan Allen commanding starts, snaps, and targets, Odunze’s target share should increase. More importantly, the quality of his targets within this new offense will dictate everything. Odunze is slated to take a step forward this season, and his stock should be up heading into training camp.”
Is Rome Odunze The Chicago Bears’ WR1 Going Forward?
Indeed, Parson goes so far to say that moving forward, Odunze is the team’s “WR1” – ahead of eighth year pro, DJ Moore.
“Odunze should be the Bears’ WR1 for the foreseeable future.” Parson noted, “His ability to play all of the receiver positions to create unique matchups for exploitation should help Williams with pre-snap coverage recognition. Odunze finished his rookie campaign with 54 receptions, 734 yards, and three touchdowns. Not a bad season for the rookie. This statline is a key reason, he is a breakout candidate.”
DJ Moore – who has surprisingly never been to an All-Pro or Pro Bowl team despite putting up four 1,100 yard seasons over his seven year stint in the pros – will remain the Bears’ #1 option in training camp and in all likelihood, the regular season, despite a 2024 season that saw his production dip slightly.
Moving forward, however, over the next half-decade, Parson could well be correct that Odunze may end up being Williams’ primary option. However,
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