We all know that the Chicago Bears haven’t had a true franchise quarterback since Sid Luckman, and since Luckman played his last NFL snap in 1950, that’s a REALLY long time to go without a defining player at the game’s most important position.
2024 first-overall pick Caleb Williams is the most recent guy set to break that 75-year quarterback curse, and the Bears have at least given him some weapons to work with. There’s receiver DJ Moore from the 2023 Carolina Panthers trade, whose 96 catches on 132 targets for 1,346 yards and eight touchdowns marked one of the best seasons for a Bears receiver in NFL history. There’s veteran receiver Keenan Allen, who still has some pep in his step and as much savvy at the position as you could ever want to help a young quarterback. Tight end Cole Kmet brings a lot to the table in terms of production.
And with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft, the Bears took Washington receiver Rome Odunze — who isn’t here just to round that group out. It’s cleat that the Bears see Odunze as a potential force multiplier, and the tape backs it up. Last season for the Huskies, Odunze caught 92 passes on 140 targets for 1,639 yards and 13 touchdowns. Everybody knew that Odunze was The Guy in Ryan Grubbs’ vertical offense (Michael Penix Jr. had an astonishing 117 passing attempts of 20 or more air yards in 2023, 20 more than anybody else in the NCAA), and Odunze was able to make the most of his season regardless. Odunze had the NCAA’s most deep targets (49), the most deep receptions (23), and the most deep receiving yards (783). Not bad for a prospect who some debited for a lack of explosive downfield speed.
In truth, it’s Odunze’s overall skill set that allows him to win, as opposed to one prominent attribute.
Today’s NFL requires receivers to beat press and tight match coverage, and Odunze has all the tools to do just that. At 6′ 2⅞” and 212 pounds, Odunze combines a slot receiver’s attention to detail in his routes with a big man’s ability to win in the paint.
Rome Odunze's ability to beat press by playing half a man and crossing a cornerback's face, combined with his ability to turn 50/50 balls to 80/20 in his favor? It all makes him a nightmare to cover. pic.twitter.com/NzYaRjY3A1
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) July 1, 2024
And when it comes to making catches in dangerous situations — especially over the middle — Odunze has already proven that he relishes such scenarios.
With most receivers, you have to ask whether they are comfortable in traffic over the middle. With Rome Odunze, you're just as likely to worry about the defenders. pic.twitter.com/NVbdUpG7YE
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) July 1, 2024
Odunze’s new coaches are already impressed.
“He’s able to pick up an offense right away — really understand all three of the receiver spots right away, so he’s not sitting there locked into one thing,” offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said of Odunze in June. “He’s really picking this offense up as a conceptual learner, which I think only helps him down the road in the regular season when you start moving guys around.”
Head coach Matt Eberflus was equally excited to see what Odunze can do. Eberflus recently talked with the rookie about how Odunze processes film and analyzes his own game, and that meant a lot to the guy in charge.
“I think that was really mature on his part to be able to actually discern and understand how he learns best,” Eberflus said. “The part about being a good learner is knowing how you learn best. I think he knows himself really well. Very mature for his age. He’s a wonderful teammate and he’s going to be exciting to watch.”
We could get used to this 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Ps02poArjz
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 30, 2024
The Bears could certainly get used to it if Rome Odunze is able to realize his full NFL potential sooner than later — and in so doing, helps his team break that darned quarterback curse.
