Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze is putting together the most productive season of his young NFL career with 32 catches for 528 yards and one touchdown through nine games, but he isn’t satisfied with his current performance.
Odunze wants to improve as the Bears continue their push through the 2026 season, identifying consistency as his biggest priority. The former first-round pick also recently talked about his ability to make plays at every level of the field, which has helped him rank among the NFL’s top five players in yards per catch.
And despite putting together a career-high 16.5 yards per catch, Odunze believes there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
Bears News: Rome Odunze Reveals What He Wants to Improve
Appearing on the Kay Adams Show, Rome Odunze explained why he wants to make the most of every opportunity rather than focusing on how many targets come his way.
“I feel like the biggest thing for me is just being more consistent. I feel like I have great flashes and some good consistency throughout the season, but the biggest thing for me is just making all the plays that come my way,” Odunze said.
He also acknowledged that Chicago has several talented offensive players who deserve opportunities to make an impact.
“There’s a lot of great players on this offense and so many people that can do great things with the ball in their hands and make incredible plays, so opportunities aren’t gonna come like 15 to 20 targets a game. For me, I just want to make the most out of every play that comes my way.”
That mindset is important for an offense featuring Caleb Williams, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, D’Andre Swift, and other talented playmakers.
Odunze Ranks Among NFL’s Best in Yards Per Catch
Although Odunze wants to be more consistent, his ability to make explosive downfield plays has already separated him from many receivers across the league.
In fact, he currently ranks fourth in the NFL in yards per catch at 16.5, trailing only Christian Watson (17.9), Parker Washington (17.0), and Jameson Williams (16.7).
When asked about his ability to make plays downfield, Odunze explained that he sees himself as a receiver who can contribute in every area of the field.
“I’m a receiver that can do anything on the field, so if I need to catch the ball deep, then I’m gonna catch the ball deep. If I need the underneath stuff, I’ll do that. If I need to go catch the ball on somebody’s head, I’ll go do that,” Odunze said.
He also emphasized that his responsibilities extend beyond catching passes, pointing to the importance of being prepared, especially in Ben Johnson’s offense.
“You just gotta be ready in Ben’s offense. You can get the ball on any given play, especially with Caleb back there at quarterback, so it’s been part of my role this season, and I’m just happy to be playing it well.”
The hope is Odunze can limit the dropped catches and continue to work on being more consistent. But with his mindset, that shouldn’t be hard to accomplish.
Bears’ Rome Odunze Makes Honest Admission About His Biggest Goal