Much has already been written about how new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson will make life easier for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, whose shaky rookie season could hopefully be chalked up largely to a league-worst coaching staff. But before life gets easier for Williams and the rest of the Bears offense, including fellow 2024 1st Round pick Rome Odunze, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator is going to make life difficult for his new team, demanding a renewed standard of excellence in the Windy City.
“Ben (Johnson) and all the new coaches encouraging us and demanding a lot of us, which is exactly what we need,” Odunze said in a July 14 interview with Fox Sports’ Eric Williams. “It’s been tough, which is a good sign. From Day 1, it’s been very detail-oriented and strict requirements within the offense. Everything is down to every yard on the field, whether that’s alignment, assignment, technique or execution. All the things they’ve been harping on, I feel like it’s been a good set up for us.”
In the long run, this period of tough love will hopefully pay off, and Williams, Odunze and all of the other weapons that general manager Ryan Poles has brought in over the last handful of years will play a key role in waking the Bears offense up from a decades-long hibernation.
‘Chemistry’ Still the Key for Caleb Williams-Rome Odunze
Only a little over an hour went by before Rome Odunze joined Caleb Williams as a member of the Chicago Bears during the 2024 NFL Draft, and from that moment on, the two former Pac-12 standouts have been attached both in proximity and in perception. Just like Williams’ rookie season was deemed something of a disappointment, so was Odunze’s, even though both rookies put up numbers that few first year players have in the city of Chicago.
Odunze’s 734 receiving yards were the 4th-most ever by a Bears rookie, as were his 54 receptions. But perhaps unfairly, even more than that was expected of Odunze, and especially Williams, who despite shattering previous Bears rookie records for passing yards and touchdowns, was considered a disappointment as a rookie.
To remedy this, the Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze have continued to work on building their chemistry, both on and off the field.
“We already have had moments and glimpses of that chemistry. Hopefully, it’s something that can go on for the next decade — be a dynamic duo that goes down as legendary,” Odunze said. “We both improved in our own respective positions, and I feel like that has been the biggest thing — both of us kind of stepping back and being like, ‘OK, let me be the best wide receiver for C-Will, and let C-Will be the best quarterback for all of his wide receivers.’”
Odunze Has The Tools — and the Coach — to Break Out in 2025
Both in Chicago and around the NFL, it’s expected that the Bears offense will look a whole lot different, and far better, than it has in years past, and Rome Odunze could end up being the biggest beneficiary.
“Ben Johnson’s arrival and Caleb Williams’ expected development should result in increased production for the Bears’ WR2 in 2025,” NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks wrote of Odunze on July 11. “As a big-bodied playmaker with sticky hands and rugged running skills, Odunze can excel as a possession receiver in a ball-control offense that frequently targets the middle of the field.”
Don’t be surprised if Odunze ends up challenging DJ Moore as Chicago’s leading receiver, and Caleb Williams’ preferred target, in 2025.
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