Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said that Odunze (knee) will not practice Wednesday and is considered day-to-day, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Monday that Odunze was viewed as week-to-week after suffering an MCL sprain in Chicago's season-opening win over the Titans, but Eberflus offered a more encouraging label with regard to the rookie's recovery timeframe. Meanwhile, veteran wideout Keenan Allen (heel) is receiving a rest day Wednesday and will be evaluated further Thursday. Allen dealt with a heel injury in August and briefly entered the medical tent Week 1, but he was able to return the field. If either or both of Odunze and Allen are sidelined or in any way limited this Sunday versus the Texans, DeAndre Carter, Tyler Scott and Velus Jones could be asked to step into larger roles behind No. 1 receiver DJ Moore.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Has MCL sprain, deemed week-to-week
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Odunze sustained an MCL sprain during Sunday's 24-17 win against the Titans and will be considered week-to-week, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Odunze emerged from his NFL debut with a knee injury, and after undergoing an MRI, he seems poised to miss some time. The rookie first-round pick didn't do much Week 1, hauling in only one of four targets for 11 yards while playing 43 of 56 offensive snaps. Assuming Odunze is sidelined this coming Sunday at Houston, DeAndre Carter and Velus Jones would be in line for additional reps behind starting wide receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Getting MRI on knee injury
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Coach Matt Eberflus said Odunze (knee) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Odunze appears to have picked up a knee injury during Sunday's 24-17 win over the Titans in which he secured one of four targets for 11 yards. The Bears will hope testing on the rookie ninth overall pick's knee injury doesn't reveal a serious issue, though Eberflus said the team is currently unable to estimate how concerning the issue might be, per Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. Chicago will take on Houston on the road Week 2.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: One catch in NFL debut
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Odunze recorded one reception on four targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 24-17 win over the Titans.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Odunze had the quietest performance of the Bears' wide receiver trio. He made his lone catch and first as a pro with 1:30 left in the second quarter, which came off of a deflection on a pass that was not intended for him. Per Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic, Odunze was on the field for 40 of the Bears' 54 offensive snaps. That bodes well for his potential production moving forward despite a disappointing NFL debut.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Comes on strong in second quarter
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Odunze caught one of two targets for 45 yards and took a carry for 16 yards in Saturday's preseason game against the Bengals.
Odunze and Caleb Williams played the entire first half, while DJ Moore and Keenan Allen were removed after three drives (all three-and-outs). After a slow start, Odunze took a jet sweep for 16 yards on the fourth drive to help set up a field goal, then made a 45-yard catch on the fifth drive on a play where Williams scrambled around before throwing a dart on the run. Shortly thereafter, Williams had another incredible pass on the run to Odunze in the back of the end zone, but the wideout seemed to lose track of where he was and had his feet on the wrong side of the chalk when he caught the ball. Williams ran it in himself a few plays later, finishing strong against a Bengals defense comprised of second- and third-stringers. Odunze likely will enter Week 1 as Chicago's No. 3 receiver in terms of playing time, but there's a good chance the ninth overall pick is more involved (and more productive) than most of the other WR3s around the league.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Blanked in preseason debut
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Odunze didn't catch his only target in Saturday's 33-6 preseason win over the Bills.
Chicago's starters played two drives, and DJ Moore was the only wide receiver to record a catch over that span, notching two receptions for 27 yards. It was a quiet preseason debut for Odunze, who didn't play in the Hall of Fame Game last week. Odunze could be more involved in next Saturday's preseason game against the Bengals as the Bears try to get the rookie ninth overall pick some touches prior to the regular season.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Returns to practice
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Odunze (hamstring) returned to practice Thursday, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Odunze was featured in a video from practice catching a contested pass from rookie QB Caleb Williams. With the hamstring tightness behind him, the No. 9 overall pick will continue to build chemistry with Williams while working as the No. 3 receiver for now behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Almost over hamstring issue
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Odunze (hamstring) is expected to resume practicing next week, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Odunze participated in Chicago's first practice during the team's rookie minicamp earlier this month, but subsequently encountered hamstring tightness, as Dan Weiderer of the Chicago Tribune reports. The Bears seem to have been taking a cautious approach to the recovery of the rookie No. 9 overall pick, but it doesn't look like there's any real concern about his injury. Odunze will have plenty more time this offseason to build chemistry with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, and to find his footing in what figures to be a starting role alongside DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
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Bears' Rome Odunze: Paired with Williams in Windy City
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The Bears selected Odunze in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, ninth overall.
Chicago has changed the outlook of its entire offense in the first 10 picks of the draft by scooping quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick and pairing him with a top-flight receiver in Odunze. The Washington product, and top target of Michael Penix, sports a great combination of on-field production and athletic measurables. Odunze racked up 24 touchdowns in the last three seasons along with two 1,000-yard seasons. At the combine, he checked in at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds with 4.45 speed. He has the long speed to win downfield, the size to make contested catches, and the route-running ability to be deployed at any level of the field. For fantasy, he joins a crowded receiver group that already features DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. However, there's still room for Odunze to produce as a rookie thanks to his talent and versatility.
