The Chicago Bears are one win away from the NFC Championship Game, but as preparations ramp up for Sunday night’s divisional showdown against the Los Angeles Rams, their wide receiver room is worth monitoring closely.
Both DJ Moore and Rome Odunze were listed as limited participants in Thursday’s practice, introducing a layer of uncertainty for an offense that leaned heavily on both players in last weekend’s comeback win.
Moore is dealing with a knee injury, while Odunze continues to manage the foot issue that sidelined him for the final weeks of the regular season. While neither absence is new and neither kept them out of last Saturday’s playoff victory, their availability and effectiveness loom larger.
Limited, but productive
GettyBears WR DJ Moore
If there was any reassurance to take away, it came from how both receivers showed up despite dealing with injuries in the Wild Card round against the Packers.
DJ Moore pulled in six catches for 64 yards including the game winning touchdown. And Rome Odunze, playing his first game back after weeks on the sideline, chipped in two receptions for 44 yards, highlighted by a 27 yard grab on an absurd fourth down throw from Caleb Williams late in the fourth quarter.
That play was a reminder of how important Odunze is to the Bears’ offense, even when he’s not quite at full strength. In fact… Before the injury, he had firmly taken over as Chicago’s top receiver. Having that version of Rome back would be huge.
Limited participation in practice suggests the Chicago Bears are managing workloads carefully rather than pushing either receiver early in the week. That’s typical in January… But it doesn’t eliminate concern.
The broader injury picture is encouraging
GettyBears WR Rome Odunze
Outside of DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, Thursday’s injury report offered mostly positive news for the Chicago Bears.
Cornerback Nick McCloud (groin) was the lone Bear to miss practice for the second straight day. Everyone else on the report either remained full participants or showed improvement. Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin moved from limited to full participation while C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Amen Ogbongbemiga, and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka all practiced fully again as they cleared concussion protocols.
Up front, the Bears also got a boost with Braxton Jones activated off injured reserve. While Theo Benedet is expected to start at left tackle in place of the injured Ozzy Trapilo, Jones’ availability gives Chicago much needed depth against a dangerous Rams pass rush.
The Rams present a very different challenge than last week’s opponent. Los Angeles finished the regular season with the No. 1 offense in the NFL, powered by MVP favorite Matthew Stafford, All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua, and head coach Sean McVay’s precision passing attack.
That puts pressure on Chicago’s offense to keep pace, or at least keep Stafford on the sideline. For that to happen, Caleb Williams needs his weapons.
Now the Bears are not signaling alarm. Moore and Odunze have both played through injuries before, and there’s still time for their practice status to improve before Sunday night. But in a divisional playoff game against an elite opponent, even minor limitations matter.
Bears Face Potential WR Room Setback Ahead of Divisional Round vs. Rams